HISTORY: For Venice, history began somewhere in the dawn of our era, in the sound of swords and incandescent lights, when the great barbaric invasions touched the territory of the Western Roman Empire. Starting with the 9th century, Venice developed into a city state, later known as the Republic of Venice, which has imposed its power in the region until the end of the 17th century.
During the 18th century, Venice became one of the most elegant cities in Europe, but lost its independence when Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the northern Italy on 12 May 1797. After Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio, Venice became Austrian territory. In 1866, after the War of Independence, Venice became part of the newly created Kingdom of Italy.
GEOGRAPHY: Venice is, today, the capital of the Veneto region, with 50,000 people living in the historical center of the city, from a total of about 265,000 people in the metropolitan area, including here the mainland towns of Mestre and Marghera and the islands of Murano, Burano, Giudecca and Lido.
Venice, the historical center, is composed of 118 small islands and is divided into six areas called sestieri: Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Marco (including San Giorgio Maggiore island) and Castello (including the islands San Pietro di Castello and Sant'Elena).
Venice is located about 42 kilometers away from Padua, 68 kilometers away from Vicenza, 120 kilometers away from Verona and about 150 kilometers from Bologna.
TRANSPORT: You can get to Venice by plane, arriving at Marco Polo Airport, in Mestre, or at Antonio Canova Airport, near Treviso. If you get to Venice by train, then the last stop will be in Venezia Santa Lucia train station, on the main island. By car, you will only get to Piazzale Roma, a large parking lot at the entrance to the city. The transport in Venice is mainly on foot or on water, with one of the many vaporetti (waterbuses) that are crossing the lagoon.
LANDMARKS: What can you find in Venice? Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Bell tower of St. Mark (Campanile di San Marco), Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), and those only in the St. Mark's Square. Also, you don’t want to miss the Rialto Bridge, the Correr Museum, the Jewish Ghetto of Venice... Trust us! You don’t want to miss a thing!
MORE INFO: Touristic Portal | Venice Airport | Treviso Airport | Car Hire | Train Timetables & Fares | Waterbus Timetables & Fares | Hotels in Venice
The Church of San Rocco is one of the four plague churches in Venice, along with San Giobbe, San Sebastiano and the Salute. The church was built for the Confraternity of San Rocco, founded in the plague year 1478, with the mission to help the poor and Read more [...]
Commonly known as Ca d’Oro, Palazzo Santa Sofia, located just across the Rialto Square, over the Grand Canal, undoubtedly remains the most beautiful Venetian palace. His name, translated into English as The Golden House, does not lie, because at Read more [...]
Only a few meters away from the Rialto Bridge and the Rialto Market, there is a church considered to be the oldest in Venice, the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto, or San Giacometto. SHORT HISTORY It is believed that the church was consacrated o Read more [...]
The Church of San Stae stands on the right bank of the Grand Canal, as you come from Piazzale Roma, heading to Piazza San Marco, between Palazzo Vendramin Calergi and Ca d’Oro, at an equal distance. Its external facade, characterized by rich decoratio Read more [...]
The Church of San Barnaba is a beautiful church in Dorsoduro, in Venice, with a facade inspired by a Greek temple, known by many for being featured in a few scenes of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. SHORT HISTORY The church was fo Read more [...]
Scuola dei Morti (School of the Dead) is a small and charming building from the 17th century, overlooking the Grand Canal, in Venice, placed between Palazzo Flangini and the apse of the Church of San Geremia. SHORT HISTORY The building belonged Read more [...]
Where the Grand Canal is narrowing to slip carefully between San Polo and San Marco, the Venetians thought of building a bridge. And because they’ve been thinking about it for a while, at one point, they’ve done it – the Rialto Bridg Read more [...]
Palazzo Flangini is, practically, the first truly monumental building that you meet on the Grand Canal, in Venice, when you are traveling with the vaporetto from the railway station, heading to the Rialto Bridge. Near the Scuola dei Morti, the Flangin Read more [...]
Most of the tourists who arrive on Giudecca Island are attracted by Il Redentore, the famous creation of Andrea Palladio, and only a few know that the island hosts another church attributed to the great architect, the Church of Santa Maria della Prese Read more [...]
Every year, on November 21, takes place in Venice a holiday less known by tourists, dedicated especially to the locals, called Festa della Madonna della Salute or, shorter, Festa della Salute. The cele Read more [...]
The Carnival of Venice is one of the most beautiful carnivals in the world, taking place every year in January, February or even March, on the islands of the Venetian Lagoon. The Venice Carnival has be Read more [...]
The Venetian Feast on Water (La Festa Veneziana sull’acqua) is, in fact, the Grand opening of the Venice Carnival 2019, stretched over two days, on 16th and 17th of February. On the 16th of february, t Read more [...]
Festa delle Marie (Mary’s Feast) is a typical Venetian celebration held annually from the 9th century until 1379, when it was canceled. The feast was revived in recent years and is currently taking pla Read more [...]
The Flight of the Angel (Volo dell’Angelo) is an event included in the Carnival of Venice, in which the beautiful girl who was chosen the previous year as Maria of the Carnival will fly along a c Read more [...]
Best Mask Contest is a mask competition held every year on the occasion of the Carnival of Venice. In 2019, the competition will take place between February 24 and March 2, with the final on Sunday, Ma Read more [...]
Residenza de l’Osmarin is situated in the very centre of Venice, just a few minutes’ walk from the stunning Piazza San Marco a Read more [...]
Set on Fondamenta delle Zattere, Silk Road Hostel sits on a long and wide promenade, popular for evening walks, dinning, or gr Read more [...]
The majestic Gritti Palace is a palazzo located across the Grand Canal from the Church of Santa Maria della Salute, in the Ses Read more [...]
Facing Caffè Florian, we can find another old coffee house, Grancaffè Quadri. Located under the Procuratie Vecchie arcades, in Read more [...]
Il Mercante was created to propose a sensorial journey in the bartending panorama of Venice. The bar is inspired by the life o Read more [...]
Caffè Florian is more than just a café, and can rightfully be considered a tourist attraction in itself. Located under the Pro Read more [...]
La Bauta Atelier is one of the few workshops in Venice, where papier-mâché masks are produced every day, following the ancient Read more [...]
VizioVirtù started its adventure in 2005, when they opened their first chocolate factory, a chocolate shop able to cater for e Read more [...]
Ca’ Macana is one of the oldest and finest mask making workshops in Venice. They are known for one main reason: respect for tr Read more [...]
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