Venice

Everyone who has ever been to Italy has an almost classic picture of oneself in
Venice in a "vaporetto" or a "gondola" with a canal for a backdrop. This famous Italian city found in the north is sometimes known as the city of water, the city of bridges and the city of lights. Vaporetti are motorized water buses used by Venetians for transportation around the city's canals while the gondola is a Venetian boat that is now used mostly by tourists and sometimes for weddings or funerals. The city is made up of several small islands, 118 to be exact hence the need for water transportation and the many bridges.There are 150 canals and 400 bridges.

Venice is dominated by St. Mark's Cathedral, one of the most beautiful churches in Italy. In addition, you will find a wealth of art in Venice's many museums including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.

Venice is an expensive city to visit. Everything has to be brought into the city by boat. Even public toilets are expensive. One way to save money while visiting Venice is to purchase tickets for museums, transportation, toilets and events through Venice Connect, a service by the City of Venice.

If you are a true romantic, you must tour the city by a gondola. There are several tours available. For something really different during your Italy vacation in Venice and if you are really in the mood for it, perhaps you can even take what is called a serenade tour. The tour is accompanied by a singer (usually a baritone) and a guitarist or someone playing the accordion. Several of these tours leave from piers near hotels in Venice. Your trip will probably be a little under an hour and you may see landmarks such as the Church of Santa Maria Formosa and the Bridge of Sighs.

This bridge received it name because it is said that prisoners would get their last view of the City of Venice from here when on their way to confinement. If you are in Venice for your Italy vacation with a significant other make sure you take a gondola trip that will be going under this bridge. Legend says that lovers will be assured eternal love if they kiss under this bridge at sunset.

Venice is crowded with tourists, more in the summer months than at other times of the year. Still, it is estimated that on average over 50,000 people a day visit the old center. In St. Marks Square, people vie with pigeons for viewpoints.

Venice is just a short train trip from Milan, and train is definitely the best way to travel to Venice as no cars are allowed in the old center itself and parking can be scarce.

10 Must-See Sites In Venice