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Venice
The capital of the Italian province of Veneto, the charming city of Venice has earned its reputation as the "City of Water" and "City of Light," in its splendid civilization and beauty.
Set in the lagoon where the estuary of the river Po meets the sea, rising water is one of the facts of life in Venice, giving it a unique city architecture full of bridges, canals and piazzas separated by narrow buildings near the waters.
Still one of the most interesting and lovely places in the world, this sanctuary on a lagoon is virtually the same as it was five hundred years ago, which adds to the fascinating character. In fact, the he Venetian Republic was a major sea power and a staging area for the Crusades, as well as a very important centre of commerce (especially the spice trade) and art in the Renaissance.
Visitors are invited to experience life on the Grand Canal by riding the vaporetto or water bus or taking any of the narrow gondolas and water taxis. Follow the water ways and pass under the famed Venetian bridges such as the Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs, Accademia Bridge, Scalzi Bridge and the Piazzale Roma Footbridge.
The many Rennaissance-era palaces invite guest into the aristocracy and society of the former Venetian republic and the Medici kings, such as the Doge's Palace, the Palazzo Grassi, the Ca' d'Oro, Ca' Rezzonico and the Scuola Grande di San Marco.
Guests and locals alike find themselves in one of the streetside cafes near the piazza’s such as Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) and the Campo San Polo, where one can have a sunset dinner over wine and watch the crowds as they gather in the square.
One of the trademark specialties of the city are cuttlefish and its intense black ink in polenta (corn meal), risotto (creamed rice) or pasta cooked in the style of "nella seppia" (in cuttlefish), "alla seppia" (in the style of cuttlefish), or "nero di seppia," (black of the cuttlefish).
Venice's Lido Beach is a famed summer tourist destination for local visitors who enjoy the sun along this 11 mile sand bar. A boat ride away one can visit the Venetian island of Murano, where the artisans have worked and perfected the art of glass-blowing and stained-glass for centuries.
