Venice
is built on one hundred and seventeen small islands, and holds one
hundred and fifty canals, connected by an amazing four hundred and nine bridges,
of which only three cross the main canal. The area it covers is a mere 458 kilometres,
the population is roughly 63,000 people, as opposed to Hobart ?s approximate
person count of 200,000 people. Although the city appears small, it is really
quite extensive for its size. Whilst most tour guides don?t recommend getting
lost in the majority of cities, Venice is the place to get hopelessly lost for
a day; it is certainly more advisable than getting lost in a shopping centre
and hiding out in the frozen foods section. Venice isn?t all cities and crowded
streets: through the mysterious alleyways leading off from the city, endless
mazes of backstreets and deserted squares, the ?real? Venice. And a perfect
place to walk for hours on end, pretending to know where you are.
Probably the only ways of getting around Venice are walking and paying
up for the 'expensive-but-worth-it' gondola, water bus/taxi or a regular
taxi is officially banned in the lagoon city ? a bicycle won?t help
you much.
The islands of the Venetian lagoon were first settled during the barbarian
invasions of the 5th and 6th centuries AD, when the people of the Veneto
mainland sought refuge in the marshy region. The refugees built the
now-famous watery villages on rafts of wooden posts driven into the
soil, laying the foundations for the floating palaces of today. The
traditional date of Venice 's birth is given as 25 March 421, but there
is little evidence to support this belief. The population is roughly
63, 000 people, but there is belief that Venice will, over time, lose
most of its population and become merely a large theme park, purely
for the entertainment of camera-clad tourists.
It's nearly always the festive season in Venice , although the city
is particularly busy in the flourishing months of spring, especially
surrounding Easter. Accommodation is one of the most difficult things
to find around that time zone, as well as around Christmas, New Year
and festival Carnevale (Which is in February). Like Italy 's other
great tourist areas, Venice is at its worst in summer (Months such
as June-August): it's crowded, oppressively hot and sticky. The most
pleasant time of year to visit is late March into May, with clear
spring days and fewer crowds. September is the next best in terms
of weather, but October is quieter. Flooding occurs in November and
December, and winter can be unpleasantly cold - although seeing Venice
under a layer of snow can cast the aura of a fairy tale.
Most visitors to Venice land at Marco Polo airport, 12 km from
Venice . Many of them choose the heading straight from the city, but
walking around the backstreets is really what Venice is about. A few
charter flights land in different areas of Venice, but the majority
are bound for Marco Polo.
Vaporetto (water bus) is most amazing method of getting around Venice;
you won?t find too many public transport routes as unforgettable as
vaporetto. No 1's trip along the Grand Canal . Get yourself a travel
pass to ride the elusive vaopretto - single tickets don't come cheap,
and are less economical if you plan to spend days travelling Venice
and travelling every nook and cranny.
The classic gondola ride with the opera-warbling operator is pretty
touristy and expensive but the traghetto is a commuter gondola that
crosses the Grand Canal at strategic points. It's quite a balance
test for newbies, as you have to stand. Water taxis (motorboats) are
almost as expensive as gondolas, but their pilots don't wear stripy
shirts and bellow out 'O Sole Mio'.
The famous water-villages of Venice post a threat to the historical
buildings, which are slowly sinking into the marshy ground. It is
believed that if construction work does not continue, these buildings
may, in turn, pose a threat to the safety of locals and tourists.
It has been said that ?When this precious place sinks, the world will
be the poorer?, and also stated that Venice has a bleak future. Looking
on the optimistic side, the villages are beautiful today, and are
still open to being admired for years to come.
Regular buses (yes, they do exist) run from one place to another,
but it's probably the least exciting way to get around the city. Obviously,
don't bring the rental car to Venice - you'll just be paying to leave
it in a car park for the duration, and in a few car parks you?ll find
yourself with a large fine afterwards. Taxis - the regular four-wheeled
variety - do operate from Piazzale Roma.
And nobody can forget the romantic side of Venice . Although it can
be excruciatingly hot and stuffy in summer, when the tourists flock,
it is nonetheless claimed to be one of the most romantic cities. With
the image of an inky-blue sky laden in a full moon and dotted with
stars; above a glowing city-scape, seen from a tiled square bordered
by Italian words and Pizza outlets, it?s no wonder.
Like every tourist location, it?s not just tourists from the surrounding
countries (countries, in this case, located in Europe), but all kinds
of people can be found, cameras at the ready, in Venice . The attractions
in Venice include many remarkable structures; such as an impressive
array of bronze work, tapestries and paintings from the 5 th to 6 th
century, as well as a whole handful of amazing buildings and galleries
showcasing the artistic side of Venice.
The sea surrounds Venice , and so, too, Venetian cuisine, which can
be disappointing unless cuttlefish and sardines are what you're after.
You don't order pasta in Venice , you order lots of noodles with a
dab of sauce. Cichetti (chee-keht-tee) are small portions of
food served in bars all over the city, usually with an ombra, which
is a small glass of wine. When you go out for cichetti , you will
eat standing up, hopefully in a crowded room. Mosey up to the bar,
where all the cichetti will be displayed before you. A typical cichetto
(this is the singular) might be a square of mortadella on a toothpick,
or a rice stuffed tomato, or a ball of rice stuffed with an olive
and deep fried. Summon the bar-person, order your glass of wine
and point to your choice of cichetti, which will then be served to
you. The bar-person will keep your tab going and present it to you
when you are ready.

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