Venice Italy, a traveler’s guide to one of the most romantic destinations in the world
History, Beauty and Culture
Venice is possibly the most romantic city you will ever visit. It is almost redundant to describe the charms of this fabulous floating city, surrounded by hundreds of tiny canals. As you stroll through the maze of trails or sit in a gondola and explore the city by water, be sure to stop and visit San Marco Square, the famous Rialto Bridge, the elegant Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the Church. of San Giorgio. Maggiore. Venice is truly a place like no other, with its picturesque alleys, waterways, and way of life.
The first settlements in Venice date back to the 5th century, when people from the mainland came to Venice to escape the invasions that followed the fall of the Roman Empire, fighting just to survive, eventually these small pieces of land surrounded by water took the appearance of a real city. A very unique and special place that became the only one like this in the world.
Gondolas are one of the most famous symbols of Venice in the world. This Venetian ship is extremely old and was the result of complex techniques. The typical gondola is 11 meters long and weighs 600 kilograms. Considering its weight and size, it is very easy to maneuver by one person.
Places to see in Venice
St. Mark’s Square is truly the heart of Venice, mainly because of its location on the banks of the Grand Canal and the large number of beautiful historical monuments to be found there. Politically and culturally, St. Mark’s Square has always been a very important and strategic area in Venice.
The 24-foot arch of the Rialto Bridge was designed to allow the passage of galleys, and the massive structure was built on some 12,000 wooden piles that still support the bridge more than 400 years later. The architect Antonio da Ponte competed with 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 that leads between two rows of small shops selling jewelry, bedding, Murano glass, and other items for tourism.
The Bridge of Sighs got its name in the 17th century, because the prisoners who walked through it on their way to the prison cells on the other side would probably see the beautiful view of the lagoon and the island of S. Giorgio and freedom. . for the last time. However, it was only in the 19th century that it was called the ‘Bridge of Sighs’, after Lord Byron’s famous reference in his poem The Pilgrimage of Childe Harold “I stood in Venice at the Bridge of Sighs, a palace and a prison on each side. “
Jewish ghetto: when on March 29, 1516, the government of the Serenissima Repubblica issued special laws, the first ghetto in Europe was established. It was an area where Jews were forced to live and from which they could not leave from dusk to dawn. The area was closed off by gates guarded by guards and so far the hinge marks are visible there.
The Basilica of San Marcos majestically symbolizes the lagoon and enshrines the history of the city. The possession of the relics of the saint allowed the Republic to establish its authority, as of 828, over Grado and Aquileia. In 1063, under the command of the doge Domenico Contarini, it was decided to rebuild the church with the same Greek cross plan as the previous one. In 1096 it was finished, but the decorative work continued until the early 19th century. The model had been provided by the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople (536-46); five domes that cover the transept and each of the arms, supported by large pillars joined by arches. The light was thus directed towards the center of the basilica, leaving the side corridors in relative shadow.
Entertainment
Venice has a strong classical music scene: the best places to listen to Baroque classics of the likes of Vivaldi include Chiesa di Santa Maria delta Pieta, Chiesa di San Bartolomeo, and Chiesa delle Zitelle in Giudecca. San Marco’s Scuola Grande di San Teodoro and San Polo’s Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista also host concerts, where musicians dress in 18th-century costumes and masks, giving an idiosyncratic take on famous works.
Performing arts fans welcomed the recent return of Venice’s opera treasure, the Teatro La Fenice, decimated by fire in 1996. La Fenice is also home to high-caliber ballet, music and theater.
The main theater venues in Venice include the Goldoni Theater, between the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark’s Square, the Fenice Theater, the Malibran Theater and the Italia Theater; all with beautiful interiors.
The outstanding Biennale festival features some of the world’s leading contemporary artists in music, theater, art, dance, film and architecture in select venues every two years. The next festival takes place from June to October 2005.
Restaurants
Cipriani Restaurant
Hotel Cipriani, Giudecca 10, 30133 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 520 7744 | Fax: +39 041 520 3930
The Caravella
Hotel Saturnia e International, Calle Larga XXII Marzo, San Marco 2398, 30124 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 520 8377 | Fax: +39 041 520 7131
Ristorante Do Leoni
Hotel Londra Palace, Riva degli Schiavoni 4171, 30122 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 520 0533 | Fax: +39 041 522 5032
Ristorante Quadri Gran Caffe
Piazza San Marco 120, 30124 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 522 2105 | Fax: +39 041 520 8041
large channel
Albergo Monaco e Grand Canal, Calle Vallaresso, San Marco 1325, 30124 Venice
Phone: +39 041 520 0211
Harry’s Bar
Vallaresso Street, San Marco 1323, 30124 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 528 5777 | Fax: +39 041 520 8822
The Colomba
Piscina di Frezzeria, San Marco 1665, 30124 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 522 1175 | Fax: +39 041 522 1468
Osteria da Fiore
Scaleter Street, San Polo 2202, 30125 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 721 308 | Fax: +39041721343
Fiaschetteria Toscana
Campo San Giovanni Grisostomo, Cannaregio 5719, 30131 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 528 5281 | Fax: +39 041 528 5521
Al Covo
Campiello della Pescaria, Castello 3968, 30122 Venice
Phone: +39 041 522 3812
Vini Da Arturo
Calle degli Assassini, San Marco 3656, 30124 Venice
Phone: +39 041 528 6974
Harry’s Dolci
Fondamenta San Biagio, Giudecca 773, 30133 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 522 4844 | Fax: +39 041 522 2322
Antico Pignolo
Specchieri Street, San Marco 451, 30124 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 522 8123 | Fax: +39 041 520 9007
Ai Gondolieri
Fondamenta dell’Ospedaletto, Dorsoduro 366, 30123 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 528 6396 | Fax: +39 041 521 0075
Da Mario alla Fava
Stagneri Street, San Marco 5242, 30124 Venice
Telephone: +39 041 528 5147 | Fax: +39 041 244 3520
Did you know …
Venice is built on 117 islands and has 150 canals.
Main Industry: Tourism
Electricity: 220 volts, 50 Hz; standard two-pin plugs
Time zone: GMT + 1
Country phone code: 39
Area Code: 041
Population: 70,000; 180,000 metropolitan area
Land area: 178 square miles
Average Annual Precipitation: 34 inches
Average January Temperature: 36 degrees F
Average temperature in July: 75 degrees F