Venice - Veneto

Venice rivals Rome as the biggest tourist attraction in all of Italy, and for good reason: Its historic canals, museums, and cathedrals are breathtaking, and a lifetime of exploring the city still won't begin to cover all the shops, side streets, and architectural ruins. Venice is truly one of the great cultural centers in all of European history.

History
As Goths and Ostrogoths drove through Italy in the 5th and 6th centuries, the people of Veneto took shelter on the islands off their coast, then began building houses on the lagoon-like islands, developing the boats known as gondolas in the process. From these desperate beginnings, Venice grew to become a great maritime power, both in terms of military might and in its commercial trading with Byzantium and Constantinople.

The Venetians participated in—and profited off of—the Crusades by supporting both sides in trade. The city finally defeated its main competitor, Genoa, in 1381. Venice reached the height of its power in the 15th century, but declined after the 16th century. At its height, it controlled much of what is now Greece, as well as a large chunk of Italy. However, plagues fostered by the stagnant water greatly hurt the city and eventually led to its downfall. The Turks took advantage of this weakness by encroaching on the Venetian empire gradually, by way of its Grecian territories. Also, when the Portuguese discovered the Cape Route to India and the East, Venice's shipping monopoly was rendered far less relevant.

Venice fell to Napoleon in 1797, and eventually became part of the unified Italy in 1866. Today, it is the capital of the province of Venezia (the province), and the Veneto region.

Sights
The Grand Canal begins at the railway station (Piazza Roma) and ends at the famed St. Mark's Square. Venice is host to about 400 bridges, 200 canals, and more. The shops on the Rialto bridge are world renowned, and other famous bridges include the Scalzi, the Accademia, and the Bridge of Sighs.

The Canal Grande is the main boulevard throughout the city, and a vaporetto ride through it is a great way to view the city. Water taxis—an economy version of the vaporetto—are also a good way to get around. Gondolas, though romantic, are expensive—at least $50 for half an hour.

Tips
Consider staying away during the high season. If you visit in the off-season, you'll find the hotels to be far more affordable, and the city much easier to navigate. In addition, the smell from the canals during the summer months will be gone. Though it's not during the high (summer) season, Carnevale, the fabulous February city-wide celebration, is an unforgettable event; still, hotel must be booked far in advance during this time, and they won't be cheap.

A map will help, so buy a good one for a few Euros. However, it's best to follow the main roads, since it's almost impossible to find individual tiny streets on the map. Besides, streets are often not visibly named, and street names are often repeated many times throughout the city, so a map won't help much in these cases either.

Flooding is most common between November and March, so bring appropriate clothing and boots if you go during those times.

Transportation
Take a bus to Piazza Roma, then use water transportation or your feet—both equally delightful ways of seeing the city. The best way to get to Venice is by train; you'll arrive via the Stazione di Santa Lucia train station. Unfortunately, the station is far from nearly everything except overpriced restaurants, but that will give you a chance to see the sights by vaporetto or on foot. Try the tourist information office and other tourist help centers near the front of the train station.

Vaporetti (ferries) are the cheapest way to get around at a reasonable pace, and a Carta Venezia pass will give you a discount if you're going to be around for a week or longer.

Here are details of a few of the most popular sections of Venice:

San Marco
The Piazza San Marco is a tourist trap that's filled with pigeons, but the Torre dell'Orologio is one of the classic views in all of Venice. The Basilica di San Marcois a church that combines Byzantine, Romanesque, and Renaissance architecture. It was consecrated in 1094 and has been in a constant state of renovation since then. It features mosaics depicting the burial of San Marco from Alexandria, whose body was stolen by Venetian merchants and for whom the basilica was specifically built. There are also rather uneven marble floors, an altarpiece encrusted with jewels and gold, and the famous bell tower. Nearby, take a guided (in English, at times) tour of the Palazzo Ducale, which was the official residence of the doges, the seat of the government, and a prison house. This tour will take several hours.

Dorsoduro
The Gallerie dell'Accademia is a former church with art from throughout Venice's history, including Titian, Carpaccio, and many more. The Peggy Guggenheim collection features modern art by Dali, Pollock, Picasso, Mondrian, and a host of other big names, and Peggy Guggenheim herself is buried in the sculpture garden.