Venice: travel guide

Romantic, picturesque, original, full of character: these are just some of the ways of describing this city like no other in the world. In 1979 Venice earned the designation of Unesco World Heritage Site because of its unique character. As soon as you get on a steamboat and glimpse the city from afar, wrapped in its mantle of morning fog, you have the feeling you are looking at a floating city, rising directly from the waters of the lagoon.

This city never fails to astonish the thousands of tourists that visit each year. It is almost a world unto itself, enveloped in a dreamlike atmosphere.

But it is not this singular characteristic that makes Venice of the most popular destinations for tourists from all around the world. Each corner, each street, each canal and building represents a piece of history and culture. The art, the grand Venetian art of Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, Tiepolo and Veronese continues outside the museums and churches, it is throughout the city.

Just walking through the streets, piazzas, alleyways and over bridges, you breathe a truly unique atmosphere. As a city with a long history, Venice has a rich offering of churches, museums, old buildings, residences and historic villas. Other nearby islands to visit are Murano (known all over the world for its blown glass) and Burano (famous for its lace and colourful houses). Venice is famous for its culture and a guided tour of the romantic La Fenice opera house or a visit the famous Biennale, dedicated to contemporary art from around the world, are unforgettable experiences.