Venice, the capital of the Veneto region, sits on more than 100 small islands within a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. In this city there are no roads but canals, including the Grand Canal, flanked by Renaissance and Gothic palaces. On the central square, Piazza San Marco, stand the Basilica of San Marco, enriched by Byzantine mosaics, and the bell tower of San Marco, from which you can admire the red roofs of the city.
An incredible city, made up of a set of 118 islands joined by over 400 bridges and separated by canals that serve as roads, crossed by boats and gondolas. Venice is a fascinating city for the numerous art treasures it holds: churches, palaces, museums, bridges.
In 1979 the entire city with all the Lagoon was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The main canals of the city are the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal. The first cuts the city in two by tracing a sort of serpentine, the second separates the Giudecca from the historic center.
The best way to visit the city is on foot, following the classic routes crowded with tourists, but also venturing through less famous but equally fascinating calli, campi and campielli. An alternative is to ride a gondola through the canals, so you can appreciate the urban uniqueness of Venice.
The city is divided into districts called Sestieri, which are Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Santa Croce and San Marco.
The Rialto Bridge is one of the major tourist attractions in Venice. It is the oldest bridge on the Grand Canal and one of its main symbols. Several wooden bridges were built here in the past, but they were all destroyed by fire. In 1444 the bridge collapsed under the weight of the crowd gathered to see the wife of the Marquis of Ferrara. Today's bridge is made of stone and was built in the 16th century.
Nearby is also the most famous market in Venice.
