Venice

There's no escaping it: Venice is unique. For a start, this is a pedestrian's city on a very human scale - cars are almost nonexistent - and beguiling narrow paths take the place of city roads. The harmonious architecture seems to have sprung uniformly from somewhere between the 12th and 16th centuries, its secretive walls and enticing balconies sparkling with flashes of water glimpsed through cracks and windows. Dark paths suddenly emerge into the clear, bright daylight of a church filled square or to cross the city's myriad canals by way of numerous and wonderful little bridges. The atmosphere is magical, and inexplicably festive. The city is built on 117 small islands, and is linked to the mainland service town of Mestre by a road and rail causeway. The Grand Canal wraps itself around the city emerging at the unforgettable vista of Piazza San Marco- boasting its campanile, Doges' Palace, St Mark's Basilica and elegant pigeon filled piazza.

Sights And Attractions

Standing in St Mark's Square the Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) is the grandest building in the city. The two most visible facades look towards the Venetian Lagoon and St Mark's Square. The use of arching in the lower stories produces an interesting "gravity-defying" effect. Venice St Marks

The Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) is the true heart of Venice. It’s one of the four and oldest bridges spanning the Grand Canal. At the foot of the bridge is the Mercato Di Rialto (Market of Rialto). Although it's a working market, even the Venetians consider it somewhat special, with its natural flamboyance and range of products drawing tourists and locals alike.

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Shopping

Around San Mark's you'll find the really up market shops. Designer’s shops can all be found on the streets that spoke off from the main square.

Murano Gl Murano Glass Factory ass is famous the world over for its craftsmanship and clarity. You will find fabulous pieces, both functional and decorative, throughout Venice in gift shops. However, pieces are also available direct from the glass works that are still located in the city. It's an ideal place to find discounted goods and possibly see how the glass is made.

Food

There are hundreds of restaurants in the city serving Italian cuisine with seafood featuring heavily on most menus. "One of our favorite charming little restaurant is “Trattoria da Georgio” , not only were the prices good, the food was great! They had a special tourist meal for EURO 17 that included spaghetti, roasted chicken, salad, and dessert! That price also included the cover charge (yes, most restaurants charge anywhere from EURO 1 to EURO 2.50 just to sit down), and the service charge, which runs 12%. This place gets two thumbs up from us!" - Mitch Mason, WA

Canal Dining Venice

Location

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Hotels

View the 20 hotels listed in Venice, Italy