Visitors Guide to Venice, Italy!

Venice, the beautiful "bride of the sea" is a city of northeast Italy. Venice, also known as the "Queen of the Adriatic" is built on 118 islets within a lagoon in the Gulf of Venice, an arm of the Adriatic Sea. Venice is locally dubbed as 'The Most Serene One' for its tranquil and placid beauty.

Venice, the 'city of canals', is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice. Venice has a great network of canals instead of streets. The Grand Canal serves as its main canal. The people use gondolas and other boats to move about the city.Shakespeare beautifully pictured the comely city of gondolas in 'the merchant of Venice' and 'Othello'.

Central Venice consists of six main regions, Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Polo and San Marco, each full of local charm and appeal. One of the most famous landmarks in the city, San Marco Square is the only public square in Venice and offers a rich heritage, with the magnificent buildings of Doge's Palace and the Basilica San Marco nearby. Castello is the most historical area of the city and is known for its Arsenale ship-building yard.

Venice Shopping
Full of elegant and trendy boutiques, independent shops and vibrant markets, the city could be called a 'shopper's paradise' and offers plenty of genuine bargains. The best shopping areas in Venice are around the San Marco region, the Mercerie and also close to the Calle dei Fabbri. Also, regular fish markets are held alongside the Grand Canal and are popular with both locals and visitors to the city.

Venice Carnival Opening and Closing Parties
The opening and closing parties are usually the most popular events each year of the Venice Carnival, attracting thousands of people into the huge St Mark's Square. The Grand Opening Party will take place on the first Sunday of the Carnival of Venice, and the night ends with a spectacular fireworks show, definitely one of the highlights of the Venice Carnival for many visitors!

Places to see in Venice
St. Mark's Square-is really the heart of Venice, mostly because of its location on the banks of the grand canal, and because of the great number of beautiful, historical monuments located there. Politically and culturally, St. Mark's Square has always been a very important and strategical area in Venice.

The Rialto Bridge's-24-foot arch was designed to allow passage of galleys, and the massive structure was built on some 12,000 wooden pilings that still support the bridge more than 400 years later. The architect, Antonio da Ponte, competed against such eminent designers as Michelangelo and Palladio for the contract.

The bridge has three walkways: two along the outer balustrades, and a wider central walkway leading between two rows of small shops that sell jewelry, linens, Murano glass, and other items for the tourist trade.

Entertainment
Venice has a strong classical music scene - top venues to hear Baroque classics from the likes of Vivaldi include Chiesa di Santa Maria delta Pieta, Chiesa di San Bartolomeo and Chiesa delle Zitelle on Giudecca. San Marco's Scuola Grande di San Teodoro, and San Polo's Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista also host concerts, where musicians don 18th century costume and masks, giving an idiosyncratic take on famous works.

Venice is a popular tourist destination, with millions of tourist’s visiting the city every year and this city plays host to a large number of festivals, events and conferences. If you are planning to visit Venice, book your city breaks In Venice, Please visit www.myvenice.co.uk