Italy: Venice

The city of Venice is a traveler's fairy tale. Masked gondoliers, winding canals, and sumptuous architectural treasures like Piazza San Marco and the Ducal Palace set the tone for romance. But, like in all fairy tales, there are monsters to battle: namely summer crowds, shockingly steep prices, high-tide floods, and low-tide stench. Even so, no matter how familiar its landmarks, this impossible city afloat on 117 tiny islands offers heart-wrenching beauty and fascinating history.

Top favourite things you can do in Venice
Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, is Venice's most famous square. What appears to be a rectangle is actually a trapezium, and when you look up at the basilica, the piazza seems enormous, although it is only 175m long. On both sides of the piazza are the "Procuratie" buildings, which housed the procurators of San Marco. The oldest of these (probably built by Codussi) are on your left when you face the basilica; Longhena built the ones on the right later, in 1640. The most recent buildings, commissioned by Napoleon in 1810, lie behind.

Ponte di Rialto
For a long time this was the only way to cross the Canal Grande. There was a bridge here at the end of the 12th century, but the current one, designed by Antonio da Ponte, was built 1554-1591. There are now lots of shops on the bridge selling all kinds of souvenirs and curiosities and fresh fruit, vegetable and fish markets line the streets in the bustling neighborhood. While a second bridge was built in 1854, this bridge is still an important historical landmark and always a bright spot for tourists.

Basilica di San Marco - Campanile
You get a splendid view from the tallest bell tower in Venice. It can be seen from the lagoon, and once you have reached the top, the whole lagoon can be seen from above. Even though the tower was erected at the beginning of the 20th century, it is an exact replica of the 15th-century bell tower. In 1609, Galileo Galilei exhibited his telescope here, and during the carnival, the bell tower used to serve as a stage for the tight rope-walkers who entertained the doge with their acrobatics.

Ponte dei Sospiri
Some legends say that the Ponte dei Sospiri was called the Bridge of Sighs because it was a rendezvous for lovers; however, the truth tells a much sadder tale. The bridge, in fact was built to convey magistrates to the courts and prisoners to their fates. However, the baroque bridge, designed by Antonio Contino, still has a very romantic air to it, and remains an important historical landmark in Venice today.

Venice Film Festival
This is officially called the Cinema Biennial and is one of the most renowned and prestigious film festivals in the world. The festival leans towards the artistic rather than commercial films. Screenings are shown in the Palazzo del Cinema, next to the Casino Venezia, where the festival is held annually. During this week, film comes to life as the most famous of stars, including luxurious motorboats, fans and the paparazzi land in Venice!