Few can forget their first sight of Venice (Venezia), rising like a fairytale from the blue lagoon. Venice is a unique blend of water, art and romance located four kilometers from terra firma and two kilometers from the Adriatic Sea. It is a treasure from the artistic and architectural point of view. Built on more then a hundred islands La Serenissima (the Most Serene One) has an exceptional atmosphere with it’s exotic landmarks: Basilica di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale, rising like mirages from the lagoon, sumptuous palaces and romantic waterways. Venice is straight out of an 18th-century Canaletto masterpiece. For these reasons, Venice is one of the cities most visited by tourists from around the world. Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance are the principal reference points for the artistic development of Venice.

Venice's most celebrated event is the Carnival, which occupies the ten days leading up to Lent. Another major event is the Regatta Storica, held on the first Sunday in September, an annual trial of strength and skill for the city's gondoliers which starts with a procession of richly decorated historic craft along the Canal Grande course, their crews all decked out in period dress. Venice is also the home of the Venice Biennale, set up in 1895 as a showpiece for international contemporary art, and held every odd-numbered year from June to September. Its permanent site is located in the Giardini Pubblici.

The best time of year to visit the city is during the spring and autumn when the weather is cooler and the crowds are fewer. Travel in ‘vaporetti’, the city's water buses or a ride on ‘traghetto’ gondola to cross the width of the most beautiful water street in Venice Grand Canal will be an unforgettable experience of your life.

The magnificent 15th-century elegant Venetian Gothic structure was named for the gilding that originally decorated the facade's superb sculptural details. The Ca' d'Oro houses the Galleria Franchetti, an impressive collection of bronzes, tapestries and paintings. On the second floor you can see fragments of Titian's frescoes saved from the outside of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi.

Formerly known as the Campo delle Maravege (marvels), this square is appropriately full of wonderful sights. The grand sculpture by Verrocchio, Monumento di Bartolomeo Colleoni, now stands in the square. The infamous John Ruskin praised Verrocchio's sculpture as 'one of the noblest works in Italy.' Also the largest church in Venice is located here; the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo.