1. VENICE

2. ~ V enice is a city in northeastern Italy situated on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. It is located in the Venetian Lagoon which stretches along the shoreline, between the Po and the Piave Rivers. Venice is famous for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. The city is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with the lagoon. The name derived from the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region in the 10th century BC. The city was the capital of the Republic of Venice. ~ T he Republic of Venice was a very important centre of commerce (especially silk, grain and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. It is also known for its several important artistic movements, especially the Renaissance period. Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music, and it is the birthplace of Antonio Vivaldi.

5. ~ The gondola is a traditional, flat- bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (ferries) over the Grand Canal. They are also used in special rowing races held among gondoliers. Their primary role today, however, is to carry tourists on rides. Many gondolas are lushly appointed with crushed velvet seats and Persian rugs. Less well-known is the smaller sandolo.

9. ~ Like any other city, Venice is divided into six areas (sestieri). These are: Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Marco and Castello. Each sestiere has its own house numbering system, each house has a unique number in the district, from one to several thousand, generally numbered from one corner of the area to another. ~ Venice is built on an archipelago of 118 islands formed by 176 canals in a shallow lagoon, connected by 400 bridges. In the old centre, the canals serve the function of roads, and almost every form of transport is on water or on foot. Venice is Europe's largest urban car-free area. Venice is unique in Europe, in having remained a sizable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without motorcars or trucks. ~ The maze of canals threaded through the city requires the use of more than 400 bridges to permit the flow of foot traffic. In 2011, the city opened Ponte della Costituzione, the fourth bridge across the Grand Canal, connecting the Piazzale Roma bus terminal area with the Stazione Ferroviaria (train station), the others being the original Ponte di Rialto, the Ponte dell'Accademia, and the Ponte degli Scalzi.

11. ~ Venice has a rich and diverse architectural style, the most famous of which is the Gothic style. Venetian Gothic architecture is a term given to a Venetian building style combining use of the Gothic lancet arch with Byzantine, Ottoman and a lot of Phoenician architecture influences. The style originated in 14th-century Venice, where the confluence of Byzantine style from Constantinople met Arab influence from Moorish Spain. The main examples of the style are the Doge's Palace and the Ca' d'Oro in the city. The city also has several Renaissance and Baroque buildings, including the Ca' Pesaro and the Ca' Rezzonico. ~ I t is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco. Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, and has only been the city's cathedral since 1807.

14. ~ Venetian cuisine is characterized by seafood, but also includes garden products from the islands of the lagoon, rice from the mainland and polenta. Venice combines local traditions with influences from other cultures. These include sarde in saor (sardines marinated in order to preserve them for long voyages), risi e bisi (rice, peas and ham), fegato alla veneziana (Venetian-style liver), risotto with cuttlefish, antipasti (appetizers) and prosecco (a mildly sweet wine). ~ Venice is famous for bisàto (marinated eel), for the golden, oval-shaped cookies called baicoli, and for different types of sweets such as: pan del pescatore (bread of the fisherman); cookies with almonds and pistachio nuts; cookies with fried Venetian cream or the bussolai (butter biscuits and shortbread made in the shape of an "S" or ring) from the island of Burano; the fregolotta (a crumbly cake with almonds); milk pudding called rosada; and cookies of yellow semolina called zaléti.

17. ~ Venice has long been a source of inspiration for authors, poets and playwrights as well as being at the forefront of the technical developing of printing and publishing. ~ Two of the most famous Venetian writers were Marco Polo in the Middle Ages and later Giacomo Casanova. Polo (1254–1324) was a merchant who voyaged to the Orient. His series of books, co- written by Rustichello da Pisa, titled Il Milione provided important knowledge of the lands east of Europe, from the Middle East, to China, Japan and Russia. Giacomo Casanova (1725–1798) was a prolific writer and famous adventurer best remembered for his autobiography, Histoire De Ma Vie (Story of My Life), which links his colourful lifestyle to the city of Venice. ~ Venice has also inspired writers from abroad, such as Shakespeare who set Othello and The Merchant of Venice in the city and Thomas Mann who wrote the novel Death in Venice, published in 1912. Venice is also linked to the technological aspects of writing. The city was the location for one of Italy's earliest printing presses, established by Aldus Manutius (1449– 1515). From this beginning Venice developed as an important typographic center and even as late as the 18th century was responsible for printing half of Italy's published books. ~ Venice is a major international centre for higher education. The city hosts Ca' Foscari University of Venice founded in 1868, Iuav University of Venice founded in 1926 and Venice International University an international research center founded in 1995 located on the island of San Servolo.

18. ~ The Carnival of Venice ~ The Venice Film.