Venice: Pride of Italy

The city of Venice is unique in the entire world. A port city, Venice is built directly on canals. Venice is truly a city of explorers and among its most popular citizens was Marco Polo. It is also an important location as far as the shipping fraternity is concerned. Tourists to this city are always in awe of its rich history and beauty.

Venice encapsulated the soul of Italy. If you want to have a truly Italian experience, look no further than the North Italian city of Venice. The city has its unique style of art and architecture, delicious food and friendly people. Its importance in the shipping routes has opened it to influence from outside, particularly Turkish. Hence you would find Byzantine designs in Venetian architecture and gold coating of surfaces.

San Marco or St. Mark's Basilica is the fantastic edifice that was restored for the Jubilee year of 2000 and is now more breathtaking than ever! With all the gold, mosaics, and carvings freshly cleaned, San Marco is a sight worth seeing. The building is famous all over the world for the four horses that stand guard over the basilica. It is said that these four equines originally came from Constantinople, and were subsequently looted by Napoleon Bonaparte. They were returned years later in 1815.

The piazza where the basilica is situated is known for its pigeon population and is just as famous as the building itself. However, if you are bird shy, you can watch from the arcades on either side of it. But, you must not miss out on the beautiful Doge's Palace and all the shops in the square.

Venice is a city of bridges that cross over the lagoons and canals, but the "ridge of Sighs" is the most famous one. It is located near the Piazza San Marco and can be seen from the Grand Canal. It gets its name from the prisoners who used to pass through the bridge to go to their cells in the 17th Century.

The other famous bridge in Venice is the Rialto Bridge, which straddles the Grand Canal. Shops line both sides of this famous bridge, allowing visitors to purchase a wide variety of Venetian goods. Legend states that couples who kiss while riding under the bridge on the city’s classic gondolas will remain in love forever.

Speaking of gondolas, do not leave this fantastic city without a ride on these historic long black boats. Striped shirted gondoliers navigate the narrow canals using only a pole and a master’s knowledge of the canal system. Most of these gondoliers will oblige you in a song, but be sure to tip generously!

You must have heard of the world famous Murano glass. This is manufactured in Venice. Some of the world's biggest glass companies are located in Murano, a tiny island not far from the Piazza San Marco. A visit to these factories would be a great learning experience for you, as you would see how these masterful craftsmen shape molten glass into beautiful things.

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Ingrid Ingra is the owner of F italy, the web's premier resource for information about italy, For questions or comments about this article visit: www.finitaly.com/articles
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