VENICE

Venice (Venezia) (approximately 272,000 inhabitants, around 1,600,000 the metropolitan area) is the capital city of Veneto region in northeastern Italy. The Venetian Republic was a major sea power as well as a very important centre of commerce (especially the spice trade) and art in the Renaissance. The city is spread over 118 islands intersected by 150 canals and connected by over 400 bridges, giving it a unique setting. The historic centre is divided into six quarters (sestieri). These are: San Marco, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Santa Croce, Cannaregio and Castello. The wealth of architecture, the uniqueness of the city and the numerous cultural events here combine to make Venice one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Unesco has inserted in the World-Heritage list Venice and its Lagoon in 1987.

Venice main attractions: The Grand Canal, is Venice's main water thoroughfare, lined with great Renaissance palaces, is full of gondolas and vaporetti. St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), the most famous plaza in Venice, St. Mark's is in the heart of the city, it has always been the nucleus of Venice. The square is dominated by Basilica San Marco, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Nearby is the Palazzo Ducale, residence of the Doges. Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), is a beautiful church blending the architectural styles of East and West, the Basilica's most precious relic is the Pala d'Oro, a Venetian-Byzantine gold relief adorned with precious gems. Take the elevator to the top of Venice’s famous brick bell tower, Campanile di San Marco, for spectacular views. The Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), is the most impressive secular building in Venice, this palace served as the senate house, administrative center, hall of justice, public archive and prison up until the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797. The Rialto Bridge built in 1588 has long been the commercial core of Venice it's covered with many vendors, tourist shops and goldsmiths. Venice’s most important art gallery is the Accademia located in a former church, the Galleria dell’Accademia contains masterpieces of Venetian painting up to the 18th century (masterpieces of Canaletto, Giorgione Mantegna, Antonello da Messina, Giambattista Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Tiziano, Veronese, Vasari, Leonardo da Vinci). The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is the most eminent modern art collection in Italy. Apart from the tourist center there are a further thirty or so islands in the lagoon to explore including Burano and Torcello as well as Murano where you may observe the world-famous glass blowers at work and can purchase their magnificent glass products.

The Venice Film Festival (held at Lido di Venezia every year in late August or early September) and the Carnival (Carnival starts around two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday) are the year’s event highlights. Motorised waterbuses ("vaporetti") play regular routes along the major canals and between the city's islands.

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Public transportation in Venice: Venice is Europe's largest urban carfree area, unique in Europe in remaining a sizable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without motorcars or trucks. Transportation within the city remains, as it was in centuries past, entirely on water or on foot. The Traghetto (public ferry) is one of the cheapest ways to get around Venice and is often used by locals to get across the Grand Canal.

Climate in Venice:

Venice	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	58	54	57	64	69	76	63	83	66	69	87	54
Min Temp (°C)	-1	1	4	8	12	16	18	17	14	9	4	0
Max Temp (°C)	6	8	12	16	22	25	27	27	24	18	11	7

In Venice it rains almost uniformally throughout the year with every month getting more than 54 mm. of rain. Annual rainfall varies from 800 to 850 mm. Venice becomes extremely hot in July and August, but outside these months the weather is not too excessive. However, bear in mind that Venice, due to its location on the Adriatic coast, suffers from frequent thunderstorms and rain showers. In spring and autumn the weather is often clear and the climate is pleasant. Venice's high season is from April to October. The most pleasant times of year in Venice are from late March to May and September-October. Venice can be flooded by high tides (acqua alta) during winter most likely in November and December.