Welcome to Venice

About the City


San Marco Square - Taken during September 2007

Floating like a mirage on the waters of its lagoon, Venice has enchanted visitors for more than a thousand years. It is one of the most unique cities in the world. Built on a series of mud banks, Venice fights a permanent battle with the Adriatic sea. Perhaps best known for the gondolas that work the canals, Venice is a city overflowing with character.


The sounds of Venice are not car horns or grumbling engines, but of footsteps and the cries of the boatmen.
Venice has two distinct and equally fascinating faces: an intimate city, of residence on these tiny backwaters, alongside the world famous monumental city with its impressive squares.


The old historical center of the city is situated 4 kilometers from the mainland, on 118 islands of the Venetian Lagoon. Its singular appearance and wealth of art treasures make it unique. It is crisscrossed by more than 150 canals and 400 bridges, and is divided into 6 districts known as "sestieri" -

San Marco
Castello
Cannaregio
Santa Croce
San Polo
Dorsoduro

Characteristic buildings look onto hundreds of small squares (campi and campielli) ) linked by narrow streets called calli.
The municipal territory also includes the mainland areas of Mestre and Porto Marghera connected to the lagoon city by road and rail bridges. The lagoon centers of Burano, Murano, Lido, Cavallino, Malamocco, San Michele and Torcello are also administrated by Venice.


Masks - Taken during September 2007


Gondola - Taken during September 2007


San Marco Square - Taken during September 2007