VENICE , CITY OF DREAMS

VENICE

CITY OF DREAMS

From the 9th to the 12th century, Venice developed into a city state(an Italian Thalassocracyor Repubb

lica Marinara the other three being Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi). Its strategic position at the head of the Adriatic made Venetian naval and commercial power almost invulnerable. With the elimination of pirates along the Dalmatian coast, the city became a flourishing trade center between Western Europe and the rest of the world (especially the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world).

Venice is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world for its celebrated art and architecture. The city has an average of 50,000 tourists a day (2007 estimate).In 2006, it was the world's 28th most internationally visited city, with 2.927 million international arrivals that year.It is regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Tourism has been a major sector of Venetian industry since the 18th century, when it was a major center for the Grand Tour, with its beautiful cityscape, uniqueness, and rich musical and artistic cultural heritage. In the 19th century, it became a fashionable centre for the rich and famous, often staying or dining at luxury establishments such as the Danieli Hotel and the Caffè Florian. It continued being a fashionable city in vogue right into the early 20th century.In the 1980s, the Carnival of Venice was revived and the city has become a major centre of international conferences and festivals, such as the prestigious Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival, which attract visitors from all over the world for their theatrical, cultural, cinematic, artistic, and musical productions.

Today, there are numerous attractions in Venice, such as St Mark's Basilica, the Grand Canal, and the Piazza San Marco. The Lido di Venezia is also a popular international luxury destination, attracting thousands of actors, critics, celebrities, and mainly people in the cinematic industry. The city also relies heavily on the cruise business.

However, Venice's popularity as a major worldwide tourist destination has caused several problems, including the fact that the city can be very overcrowded at some points of the year. It is regarded by some as a tourist trap, and by others as a "living museum".Unlike most other places in Western Europe, and the world, Venice has become widely known for its element of elegant decay. The competition for foreigners to buy homes in Venice has made prices rise so high that numerous inhabitants are forced to move to more affordable areas of Veneto and Italy, the most notable being Mestre.

ST MARK"S BASILICA

The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (officially known in Italian as the Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco and commonly known as Saint Mark's Basilica) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco, adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, and has only been the city's cathedral since 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, formerly at San Pietro di Castello.

GRAND CANAL

The Grand Canal (Italian: Canal Grande, Venetian: Canałasso) is a canal in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city. Public transport is provided by water buses (Italian: vaporetti) and private water taxis, and many tourists explore the canal by gondola.

At one end, the canal leads into the lagoon near the Santa Lucia railway station and the other end leads into Saint Mark Basin; in between, it makes a large reverse-S shape through the central districts (sestieri) of Venice. It is 3,800 m long, 30–90 m wide, with an average depth of five meters (16.5 ft).

PIAZZA SAN MARCO

Piazza San Marco (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjatt͡sa san ˈmarko], often known in English as the St Mark's Square), is the principal public square of Venice, Italy, where it is generally known just as "the Piazza" (la Piazza). All other urban spaces in the city (except the Piazzetta and the Piazzale Roma) are called "campi" (fields). The Piazzetta (the 'little Piazza') is an extension of the Piazza towards the lagoon in its south east corner (see plan). The two spaces together form the social, religious and political centre of Venice and are commonly considered together. This article relates to both of them.

A remark usually attributed to Napoleon calls the Piazza San Marco "the drawing room of Europe" (the attribution to Napoleon is unproven).

LIDO DE VENEZIA

In 1177, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and Pope Alexander III signed the Treaty of Venice here following Frederick's defeat at the Battle of Legnano in 1176.

In 1202, at the beginning of the Fourth Crusade, it was used as a camp by tens of thousands of crusaders, who were blockaded there by the Venetians when they could not pay for the Venetian ships they needed for transport.

In 1857, the first sea bathing facility was set up. This was the first time that anything like it had been seen in Europe and soon, the lido became "The Lido", a byword for a beach resort. The Lido's success and the fascination of Venice nearby made the Lido famous worldwide.

Lido was also famous for its brothels in the first half of the 20th century.

Major beach facilities, hotels and private summer villas have remained the heart of an island that is still known as the "Golden Island".

In the 1960s, the improving post-war Italian economy created a real-estate boom in the island, and many Venetians moved to Lido to benefit from its modern infrastructure.

DOGE'S PALACE

The Doge's Palace (Italian: Palazzo Ducale) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice, northern Italy. The palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the Republic of Venice, opening as a museum in 1923. Today, it is one of the 11 museums run by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia.

In 2010, it was visited by 1,358,186 people

20 great things to do in Venice City.

1. See three major sights in one square

Standing in the middle of the magnificent piazza San Marco is an experience in itself: Napoleon referred to it as the ‘drawing room of Europe’, apt today as, at times, it appears that much of Europe’s population is crammed into this great square. But it's St Mark’s basilica (Basilica di San Marco), often seen as the living testimony of Venice’s links with Byzantium;Doge’s Palace, once Venice's political and judicial hub; and Torre dell’Orologio, a clock tower built between 1496 and 1506, that are, not just the square's, but some of the city's main attractions.

2. Get around in a gondola

No trip to Venice would be complete without a punt down one of the city's picturesque waterways in an iconic gondola. The Istituzione per la Conservazione della Gondola e Tutela del Gondoliere (Gondola Board; 041 528 5075, www.gondolavenezia.it) website has recommended itineraries. Prices below are for the hire of the gondola, for six passengers or less. Having your own personal crooner will push the fare up.

8am-7pm €80 for 40mins; €40 for each additional 20mins. 7pm-8am €100 for 40mins; €50 for each additional 20mins.

3. Tour the Venetian masters of art

Venice is a unique and precious repository of art. From the late Middle Ages until the mid 18th century, artists of the highest caliber left thier mark all over the city and works by Venice's grand masters Titian (c1488-1576), Tintoretto (c1518-94), Canaletto (1697-1768) and Tiepolo (1727-1804) can still be viewed in situ today. See Titian’s glorious 'Assumption' above the high altar at I Frari, Tintoretto's epic masterpiece 'Crucifixion' at Scuola Grande di San Rocco, and Tiepolo's monumental frescos at the Pietà andCa’ Rezzonico.

For a one-stop-shop of Venice’s foremost artistic treasures, head for theGallerie dell’Accademia.

4. Take some aperitivo time

Italians are assiduous frequenters of their favourite bar for an eveningaperitivi. At aperitivo time Venice’s cool crowd line up drinks and cicheti (snacks) in the bars at the north-western foot of the Rialto bridge. Stake your claim at a Grand Canal-facing table at Naranzaria or Bancogiro. Alternatively, head to Ardidos for the coolest design, Al Marcà for an ombra (bit of shade) on the hoof or Skyline Bar for a drink with a view.

5. Get a bird's-eye view of Venice

At almost 99m (325ft), the Campanile is the city’s tallest building, originally built between 888 and 912 (in July 1902 it collapsed, imploding in a neat pyramid of rubble. It was rebuilt exactly 'as it was, where it was', as the town council of the day promised). Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III rode a horse to the top of the original in 1451; these days visitors take the lift. The view is superb, taking in the Lido, the whole lagoon and (on a clear day) the Dolomites in the distance.

6. Take a tour of the Grand Canal

A wonderful way to take in the Grand Canal is on board a vaporetto (a rounded 230-passenger boat). The canal may no longer be teeming with merchandise-laden cargo boats, but it is still the main thoroughfare of Venice, and only a little imagination is needed to understand its historical importance. The three and a half kilometre (two-mile) trip from the railway station to San Marco provides a superb introduction to the city, telling you more about the way Venice works – and has always worked – than any historical tome. Every family of note had to have a palazzo here, and this was not just for reasons of social snobbery. The palazzi are undeniably splendid but they were first and foremost solid commercial enterprises, and their designs are as practical as they are eye-catching.

Vaporetto tickets can be purchased at most stops, at tabacchi (tobacconists, identified by a white T on a black or blue background) and at Hellovenezia offices (see Tickets & passes). On board, you can only buy single tickets. Tickets are for single trips (€6.50 – valid 60mins on multiple boats), 12hrs (€16), 24hrs (€18), 36hrs (€23), 48hrs (€28), 72hrs (€33) or seven days (€50). The fare for a shuttle journey (ie one stop across the Grand Canal, the hop across to the Giudecca, or from Sant’Elena to the Lido) is €2.

7. Get a taste for true Venetian cuisine

Try traditional dishes from the Veneto – like oca in onto (goose in its own fat) or freshwater lagoon fish done in saor at Antica Adelaide, get the best polpette (meatballs) in Venice at Ca d’Oro (Alla Vedova), and a strong selection of Venetian antipasti, including raw sea food, at Vini da Gigio.

8. Be seduced by the contemporary art scene

Venice has a contemporary art scene that lives up to its glorious art history. An impressive 77 nations sent works by 90 artists to the 2009 Biennale (seefestivals and events in Venice) a two-yearly artistic bunfight where deals are hatched and hopefuls vie with big names for a piece of the action. ThePeggy Guggenheim Collection of 20th-century masters has long been the city's third most visited attraction, while the Punta della Dogana, which opened in 2009, brought works by contemporary giants including Dan Flavin, Jeff Koons, Jean Tinguely and Rachel Whiteread to the city.

8. Down a glass (or two) of Venetian vino

The wine-growing area that stretches from the Veneto north-east to Friuli is, after Tuscany and Piedmont, one of Italy’s strongest, with good whites like tocai and soave backed up by solid reds like valpolicella and cabernet franc. This means that, even in Venice’s humbler establishments, you’ll find that the house wine is often surprisingly refined. Try Pane, Vino e San Daniele – a chain specialising in the wine and ham of the Friuli region; La Favorita, which has a fine selection of bottles from the north-east; Alla Maddalena, where the house wine comes from the family’s own vineyards; Alle Testiere, which has a small but well-chosen wine list; and Naranzaria, a nouveau-bacaro which offers a selection of fine wines – many of them produced by co-owner Brandino Brandolini.

Shop for a bottle to take home at Bottiglieria Colonna.

See all restaurants & cafés in Venice

9. Experience (well-played) Vivaldi in Venice

For many, experiencing Vivaldi in Venice is an absolute must. But more discerning music-lovers might feel somewhat Baroqued out by the predictable programmes performed by local groups, whose technical ability rarely goes beyond the so-so to fairly good range. Exceptions are the Venice Baroque Orchestra, a global success, and the orchestra of La Fenice, one of the best in the country. As well as its opera and ballet seasons, La Fenice has at least two concert seasons a year. The Teatro Malibran shares the Fenice’s programmes and also has its own chamber music season, with performances by the Società Veneziana dei Concerti.

Mestre’s Teatro Toniolo also has a symphony and chamber music season. Most other musical events take place in Venice’s churches or scuole. St Mark’s basilica holds a smattering of ceremonial concerts throughout the year, with the patriarch deciding who is to attend. But lovers of sacred music should catch one of two regular Sunday appointments: the sung Mass at St Mark’s (10.30am) and the Gregorian chant on the island of San Giorgio (11am).

10. Cool down with a delicious gelato

Most Venetians agree that some of the city’s best gelato is served inBoutique del Gelato, a tiny outlet on busy salizzada San Lio. Be prepared to be patient though, because there’s always a huge crowd waiting to be served. See it as quality assurance – it’s worth the wait.

At Alaska Gelateria-Sorbetteria Carlo Pistacchi is passionate about making ice-cream and experimenting with new flavours using only the freshest natural ingredients. Stick to tried and true choices such as hazelnut or yoghurt, or branch out to sample seasonally changing exotic flavours, such as artichoke, fennel, asparagus or ginger.

See all Galateria in Venice

11. Go back to school

Part meeting house, part art gallery – Venice’s scuole merit some study. Scuole – a blend of art-treasure house and social institution – are uniquely Venetian establishments. Essentially, they were devotional lay brotherhoods, subject to the state rather than the church.

In Venice’s complicated system of social checks and balances they gave citizens of wealth – but no hope of ever entering the ruling elite – a place to feel they exerted some influence. The earliest were founded in the 13th century; by the 15th century, there were six scuole grandi and as many as 400 minor scuole. Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Scuola Grande di San Marco and recently reopened Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista – were mainly drawn from the wealthier professional classes, the humbler scuole piccole were exclusively devotional groups, trade guilds or confraternities of foreign communities (such as the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni).

The wealthier confraternities devoted a great deal of time and expense to beautifying their meeting houses (the scuole themselves), sometimes hiring one major painter to decorate the whole building; this was the case of Tintoretto at San Rocco and Carpaccio at San Giorgio degli Schiavoni. These buildings are essential viewing for anyone interested in the works of these artists.

12. Walk in James Bond's footsteps

To the east of campo Santo Stefano, campiello Pisani is overlooked by the impressive 17th-century Palazzo Pisani, now the music conservatory. The palace was used for the shoot-out at the end of the 2006 James Bond filmCasino Royale. An earlier Bond came to blows in the Torre dell’Orologio.

Film buffs should also recognise the church of San Nicolò dei Mendicolifrom Nicolas Roeg’s dwarf-in-Venice movie Don’t Look Now. Other locations used include the recently opened Palazzo Grimani where the gruesome final scene was shot.

13. Try on some prison threads

Giudecca’s women’s prison produces some amazing goods. Behind the high walls of a 13th-century former convent on the fondamenta delle Convertite, the 80-odd inmates of the Casa di Reclusione Femminile (women’s prison) run a tailors’ workshop, which hit the headlines some years ago when it came up with faithful reproductions of splendid 18th-century costumes for Palazzo Mocenigo. The workshop continues to produce period costumes – for purchase, and to hire at Carnevale time – but also does a healthy business in contemporary clothes, sequin-encrusted bags, jewellery, a variety of accessories and cushions in plush brocades, all of which are on sale at Banco No.10 (Castello 3478, salizada Sant’Antonin), near the church of San Giovanni in Bragora.

14. Eat seafood you've never seen before

The lagoon city has a long and glorious culinary tradition based on fresh seafood. A writhing, glistening variety of sea creatures swims from the stalls of the Rialto and Chioggia markets into local kitchens. Going with the flow ofla cucina veneta requires a certain spirit of openminded experimentation. Not everybody has eaten granseola (spider crab) before, or garusoli (sea snails) or canoce (mantis shrimps), but Venice is definitely the place to try these marine curios.

15. Pick up a serenissima souvenir

In among the shops peddling tourist tack are a few gems selling genuine quality Venetian goods. Head to Vittorio Costantini for exquisite glass and original lamps, Martinuzzi for real local lace, Gaggio for fine fabrics andAttombri for sumptuous jewellery.

When seeking out the real thing, always bear in mind: if it's cheap, It's almost certainly not genuine.

16. Slip on a mask and join the Carnevale

Carnevale, the world’s largest and most famous masked ball, has existed since the Middle Ages, but it came into its own in the 18th century. Today, visitors to the pre-Lenten event flock to piazza San Marco, where professional poseurs in ornate (and exorbitant) costumes occupy prime spots and wait for the world’s press photographers to immortalise them. Venetians, on the other hand, organise private masked and costumed celebrations, or gather in smaller squares.

17. Take a waterside-bar break

Water, water everywhere, and some wonderful places to drink. The best waterside bars include Al Chioschetto for enjoying the Zattere, Vincent Barfor leafy lagoon calm and Taverna del Campiello Remer for a Grand Canal perch.

18. Tie the knot under Juliet's window

Generations of visitors to Verona have crowded the courtyard of a pretty 13th-century palazzo, gazing enraptured at a balcony cunningly tacked on to the first floor in the 1920s, leaving their entwined signatures on graffiti-covered walls and having a furtive rub of the shiny right breast of a 20th-century bronze of Shakespeare’s best-loved heroine. But it wasn’t until 2009 that Verona’s town council had the bright idea of turning the so-called Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House, Via Cappello 23, 045 803 4303. Open 1.30-7.30pm Mon; 8.30am-7,30pm Tue-Sun. Admission €6; €4.50 reductions) into the world’s most sought-after wedding location… at a price.

For a fee ranging from €600 (for local residents) to €800 (for EU citizens) or even €1,000 (for those from outside the EU), lovers can tie the knot in the courtyard beneath the balcony. The various tariffs, the city council insists, reflect the different costs of the paperwork involved in getting people wed. And they’re a bargain compared to civil services in Venice, where EU citizens can pay anything up to €1,800 and those from outside the EU up to €4,200.

Regular train services between Venice and Verona take between 75-90mins. If you go by car, take the A4 La Serenissima motorway.

19. Drink like a Venetian

To the usual Italian breakfast, light snacks, pastries and alcoholic beverages routine, Venice contributes its own specialities: the ombra and the spritz. The former is a tiny glass of wine – bianco or rosso – which is knocked back in no time and is often the whole point of a giro di ombre – an ombra-crawl around selected bacari (the accent is on the first ‘a’). A spritz is an aperitivo of white wine, Campari and a shot of seltzer or sparkling water; a sweeter version is made with low-alcohol Aperol. Also flowing freely into Venetian glasses are prosecco, the bubbly white made in the hills of the Veneto region, and spento, a bubble-free version of the same wine.

20. Get kitted out in Italian elegance

Ottico Fabbricatore is a one-stop shop for putting together a look of effortless Italian elegance. A few key pieces seemingly thrown together will create a stylish look that’s hard to emulate if your usual shopping haunts are budget high-street clothing shops. These key pieces tend to include great sunglasses, something in cashmere and a fabulous bag. As the name suggests, this ultra-modern shop specialises in designer eyewear – the kind you won’t find anywhere else in Italy, with extraordinary frames in anything from buffalo horn to titanium. Run by a husband-and-wife team – optician Francesco Lincetto and designer Marianna Leardini – the boutique also sells gossamer-like cashmere and sensual silk apparel.

The couple have recently extended their store, adding an upstairs space dedicated to clothing, along with a selection of luxurious bags that were designed by Marianna in materials ranging from calfskin to ostrich. Ottico Fabbricatore may not be able to turn you into a perfectly groomed Italian, but it will certainly help you make serious inroads into your holiday cash while trying.

Adittional Information about Venice.

Worst & best times to come

July and August are the worst – it can be unbearably hot.  May to mid-June and September to mid-October are the best times.

Tourist count

An average of 50,000 tourists per day visit the historic center.

Population

Only about 60,000 Venetians live in the historic center.  Most – including tourism workers - live on the mainland.

More stats

The city has 118 islands and more than 150 canals and 400 bridges.

High prices

Hotel and dining prices are among the highest in Italy.

Food quality

Restaurant food and service quality tend to be among the most disappointing in Italy. The main reason is most diners are tourists and most of them will never return to Venice. Therefore, pleasing them is not a priority.

Wooden pilings

The historic center buildings, both big and small, were constructed over spongy marshland ground. Countless wooden pilings were driven centuries ago into the marshland terrain for support.

Floods

The Acqua Alta ("high water") tides can rise up to 2 meters (6 feet). They flood the low-lying areas, including St Mark's Square.  The nastiest Acqua Altas occur from November to March.  Partially due to these tides, Venice is gradually sinking. A colossal dam system is currently being built to block the Acqua Alta tides.

Most famous Venetians

Marco Polo is number one. Next come the opera composer Antonio Vivaldi and the great lover Casanova. St Mark is buried here.

History in brief

Venice was named after the ancient Veneti people. The area wasn't significantly settled until around the 5th century. Venice was the major Mediterranean maritime power in the 14th to 16th centuries.

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Other panorama in Venice

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