My dream holiday...

I always wanted to visit Italy, especially a small town in the Northern area that is half submerged in water, Venice. Venice was a trading port for materials such as Silk, grain and spices and has always experienced a healthy growth, it was also the important hub for the arts, opera and symphonic music.

There also a couple of sights to behold other than tasting the wine and hearing the music in this little buzzing town, which I will start off with the arguably the most highlighted and noted sight, the grand canal. 


The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal or Canal Grande winds through the heart of Venice. It's over 21/2 miles (3 km) long and full of vaporetti, barges, water taxis and gondolas. Bordering the canal are beautiful palazzi, mostly dating from the 14th to the 18th century. 


Basilica di San Marco

This is where the Byzantine meets the Western art. Basilica di San Marco is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and the most important church in Venice. It was built over several centuries, starting in 832. Inside, the basilica is covered in splendid Byzantine mosaics (only illuminated at certain times). 


Rialto Bridge

Until the 19th century this was the only bridge between the two sides of the Grand Canal. The bridge as we see it today was built in the 16th century when a competition took place to chose the design of the new bridge to replace an older structure. Michelangelo was among the contenders but the competition was won by Antonio da Ponte. This is one of the centers of activity in Venice and everywhere on the islands there are signs indicating the direction for the Rialto bridge. The bridge is a good place to watch the activity on the Grand Canal at any hour of the day.


The Doge's Palace

The Doge's Palace was built in the early 9th century as a fortress. It was afterwards rebuilt in the 12th century and modified again in the 14th and 15th century. Its facade as we can see it today is a Gothic masterpiece in pink and white marble. From its early days, the Doge's Palace served as the seat of the government, the Palace of Justice, the prison and the home of the doge. The doge was the elected ruler of the Republic, but its role was rather that of a figurehead. Inside the palace the halls are lavishly decorated with many of the paintings representing the eternal glory of La Serenissima. Many of the works are by Venice's most renowned artists like Veronese and Tintoretto.


Islands of the lagoon: Murano

Like Venice, Murano is made up of smaller islands connected by bridges. It is known all over the world for its glasswork. The glasswork manufacturing started in the 12th century and in the 15th and 16th centuries Murano was the main glass producer in Europe. This craft continues today and the main attraction of Murano is to watch the glass artisans at work. Many small factories line the Fondamenta dei Vetrai, the street that starts at the Colonna landing stage. 


Islands of the lagoon: Burano

Burano is another small island of the Venetian lagoon. The same way as Murano is known for its glasswork, Burano is known for its lace. The island is quite small and densely populated and the houses that line the streets are painted in bright colors which makes the stroll very enjoyable. The main thoroughfare is Via Baldasarre Galuppi which ends into a beautiful piazza. There is also a lace museum here.


Islands of the lagoon: Lido

Lido is a slender island located between the lagoon and the open sea. The only reason to visit this island is to go to the beach. It has no notable architecture but if you want to relax on the beach, after all that walking in Venice, then this is the place to do it. From Venice you can reach Lido by vaporetto.


Venice is the ideal place for an art lover like me because it is rich in the arts, not pop art but in the renaissance period. It is also an amateur photographer's dream because of the architecture and streets. It's no wonder that people are doing all they can to preserve this city.


All information can be found from http://andreea.francu.com/travel/venice.vr/places.vr/ with no copyright infringement intended