Venice

A city built on water — canals, gondolas and unmatched romantic atmosphere.

Venice is impossible to adequately prepare for. Built on 118 small islands in a lagoon in northeastern Italy, it is a city entirely without cars, where every form of transport involves water. Gondolas, vaporetti (water buses) and motorboats navigate a network of 150 canals, and the absence of engine noise gives the city an atmosphere unlike anywhere else on earth. St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is the centrepiece — the Byzantine Basilica di San Marco, the Doge's Palace and the Campanile (bell tower) together form one of the world's great urban compositions. The palace's interior reveals the extraordinary wealth and power of the Venetian Republic; the Bridge of Sighs connects it to the old prison. The Rialto Bridge and market have been the commercial heart of Venice for centuries. Getting lost in Venice's back canals and narrow calli (streets) is both inevitable and recommended. The sestiere (districts) each have their own character: Dorsoduro is the most elegant and less touristic; Cannaregio contains the world's first ghetto; Castello is where everyday Venetian life plays out. The islands of Murano (glassmaking), Burano (colourful lace-making village) and Torcello (oldest settlement in the lagoon) are short boat trips away. Visit in November–March for the most atmospheric, crowd-free experience; summer is extremely busy.