The Venetian - Gondolas on the Strip
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, public domain (cropped)
A stop on Las Vegas Strip Walk, a free self-guided tour.
Cross the Boulevard to the Venetian, where Las Vegas built its own Venice. The Rialto Bridge in front, the 315-foot copy of St. Mark's Campanile and the pink-and-white Doge's Palace facade are all modeled on the real things. An outdoor canal runs in front, complete with gondoliers who sometimes sing as they glide by. Rides cost money, but watching is free.
The Venetian opened in May 1999 on the site of the Sands, the 1952 casino where Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack friends made Las Vegas the coolest place in America in the early 1960s. Developer Sheldon Adelson bought the Sands in 1989, closed it in 1996 and demolished it a few months later to make room.
Climb the Rialto Bridge, then head inside to the Grand Canal Shoppes, where a second canal flows under a painted sky past a copy of St. Mark's Square. It's the Strip's specialty: a famous place, reimagined at full volume.
Getting here: Use the pedestrian bridge to cross to the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard and walk to the Rialto Bridge in front of the Venetian.
Did you know?: The Venetian's Campanile is only a few feet shorter than the real bell tower in Venice's St. Mark's Square.
Photo op: From the top of the Rialto Bridge, frame the gondolas on the canal below with the Campanile rising above them.
More on Wikipedia: The Venetian Las Vegas · Sands Hotel and Casino · Rat Pack · Sheldon Adelson
Stops on this tour
- Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign - The Photo Everyone Takes
- Fountains of Bellagio - A Lake in the Desert
- Bellagio Conservatory - A Garden That Changes Its Clothes
- Paris Las Vegas - Half an Eiffel Tower
- Flamingo - Where the Mob Moved In
- High Roller - A Half-Hour Lap Above the Strip
- Forum Shops at Caesars - Shopping in Ancient Rome
- The Mirage Volcano Site - Where the Megaresorts Began
- The Venetian - Gondolas on the Strip
- Sphere - The Strip's Giant Glowing Ball
- Neon Museum - Where Old Signs Go to Rest
- Fremont Street Experience - Where Las Vegas Began