Venice

Venice, Venezia in Italian, is a city of beauty, a city of romance, a city with a mystique. It conjures up visions of solemn gondoliers navigating in their sleek, black gondolas a maze of canals, with classical music echoed off the narrow walls; of centuries-old medieval palaces, filled with ancient treasures and gilded art, reflected upon the shimmering waters; of colorful, costumed, plumed, masked revelers prancing through the streets in the pageantry of the Carnevale; of romantic, dimly-lit cobblestone alleys and café-lined squares, where violinists serenade lovers in love. Indeed, here is a city with any number of monikers – La Serenissima Repubblica ("the most serene republic"), "City of Light," "City of Water," "Queen of the Adriatic," "City of Canals," "City of Bridges," "City of Masks," "The Floating City" (even though some say it's sinking!), and many more. Here is a city that evokes comparisons from north to south and west to east. And even though there's no glossing over the dilapidation and scarring that has come with age, Venice remains an alluring city of exotic glamor where visitors linger in the small, quaint shops and sidewalk cafés lining its ancient streets, typically outnumbering residents on any given day.

• What to See in Venice

• Where to Stay in Venice

• Where to Eat in Venice

Venice Orientation

Venice is built on 117 islands in the Venetian Lagoon, crisscrossed by 177 canals and connected by 408 bridges, with three of them – including the Rialto – spanning the Grand Canal. Six sestieri, or districts, make up the city – Cannaregio, San Marco, and Castello to the east of the Grand Canal, and Santa Croce, San Polo, and Dorsoduro to the west of it. Be forewarned, though, that in the absence of any prominent landmarks for reference, and with houses numbered by sestrieri rather than streets, Venice can be a dizzyingly disorienting experience, necessitating the possession of a good map of the city at all times.

Venice Location

Venice is the capital of the Veneto region of Italy, situated in the northeastern part of the country, along the Gulf of Venice. It is 24 miles (39 km) south of Treviso, or 44 miles (71 km) east of Vicenza. It has a population of approximately 272,000.

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