Venice is one of the world's most unique and inspiring cities. Set in a huge lagoon and criss-crossed by canals and waterways it is a city built in the sea. In all it totals 118 islands connected by 409 bridges where cars are banned and everyone gets about by boat.
Repeatedly assaulted by high tides and subject to annual flooding work has got under way to stop the city sinking into the sea. Massive construction projects include sea gates, canal repairs, new dams and flood barriers.
Once a centre of Mediterranean trade and a maritime giant, tourism is now the city's staple money earner with thousands arriving daily to glimpse the unique location and the splendour of its art and architecture. On a single day in 1989 around 150,000 visitors arrived in the city.
Key attractions are St Marks Basilica with its enormous colonnaded piazza, the Doges' Palace with a façade dating from 1635 and the impressive Rialto Bridge which cross the Grand Canal.
Other major tourist draws are the Accademia Gallery, home to some of the greatest painting of the Renaissance with huge canvasses by Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum which has the most distinguished collection of modern art in Italy.
Getting around the city is a case of walking the maze of narrow streets or taking to the water, either by water taxi, private boat or one of the city's famous gondolas. No cars are allowed in the city centre - even emergency services operate by boat.
Efficient and good value rail services to Venice are run by the Italian State Railway. There are direct rail links to Bologna and Rome. The port of Venice caters for freight and passenger ferries and is to the west of the city centre.
The nearby islet of Burano is firmly on the tourist trail. The islet is idyllic with narrow canals lined with brightly painted houses. The main industry today is tourism, which is supported by the production of traditional lace.
Air travellers arrive at Marco Polo Airport about 12km north of Venice or an nearby airports in Treviso and Verona which serve all the major airlines and several budget carriers. From the airport there are bus, train and water boat links to the city centre. Approximate flying times from London are 2hrs.
