Palazzo Franchetti and Palazzo Loredan, whose rooms are part of the VIC Conference Centre, are in the heart of Venice, in the San Marco district, close to the city’s big historical monuments and to many of its most prestigious cultural institutions and big hotels. Palazzo Franchetti, where exhibition areas and rooms are available for public events, shows and conferences, is easily reached from the city’s car parks, bus and train stations. On request, it is possible to reach the palazzo directly from the Grand Canal by way of its private jetty and water entrance. People with motor disabilities arriving in Piazzale Rome or at Santa Lucia train station can reach Palazzo Franchetti by public transport and a route without bridges. Inside the palazzo the various floors can be reached by lift and there are toilets for the disabled. Palazzo Franchetti has a garden of more than 1500 square metres, something fairly rare in the centre of Venice, which is often used as an exhibition space, hosting works of art of considerable value. The garden is normally the thoroughfare to the rooms used for conferences and in summer often hosts outdoor coffee breaks, cocktail parties and dinners. Despite the rooms and exhibition spaces being in a historic palazzo, the building has efficient heating and air-conditioning systems, and sophisticated control and alarm systems, with a detection centre and fire alarm system that fully complies with current regulations. The building is accessible from 8 am to 8 pm and has a continuous porter service. When closed, the alarms connected to the custodian’s residence, the fire brigade and the security company come into operation. Security guards make several on-site checks every night. The Palazzo Loredan, whose historic rooms are particularly suited to holding exclusive meetings, has the same systems, control and security. Some of the rooms next to the Sala delle Adunanze can easily be set up to host private dinners in a particularly tasteful setting.
