Why You Should Visit Venice?

Jeff Bezos just got married here. So did George Clooney & Amal Alamuddin back in 2014. 

Pic: Kind courtesy BEIC digital library/Wikimedia Commons

If you have not been to this beautiful city of water, on 118 islands, that looks straight out of a painting, here's why you need to visit!

 

Pic: Kind courtesy NASA/Wikimedia Commons
Caption: Venice seen from the International Space Station

438 Bridges

There are 177 canals in the centre of the city, crisscrossed by bridges of all shapes, sizes and grandeur. More famous: Ponte di Rialto, Bridge of Sighs, Ponte degli Scalzi.

 

Pic: Kind courtesy Didier Descouens/Wikimedia Commons

People Watching At St Mark’s Square

Sit at any of the elegant open-air cafes and observe the endless activity in the drawing room of Europe as Napoleon termed the 12th century Piazza San Marco.

 

Pic: Kind courtesy Didier Descouens/Wikimedia Commons

Riding The Grand Canal

Venice’s watery Main Street has a 3.8 km S-shaped path. The Canalazzo is lined with 170 odd extravagant palazzos (palaces), many from the 1200s. Grand churches too. 

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Boats Galore. Cars? No!

Vaporetti, gondolas, traghetti, sandolo, Venice People Mover, trains, trams, motorised water taxis. It has a bewildering range of transport. None of them cars, making it Europe's largest urban area without cars.

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Gondola Trip Under The Bridge of Sighs

The most corny but unmissable activity is to glide under this bridge. Called so because prisoners saw their last view of Venice from here before heading to jail on the other side.

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Visit To Burano Island

A colourful dream. Every house is painted in bright hues on this Venetian lagoon island, 7 km from Venice. A paradise for photographers, Instagrammers, lace lovers (lace is sold).

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Viewing Tintoretto's Il Paridiso At The Doge’s Palace

One of the largest oils on canvas (9 metres) in the world is in the Doge's Hall, within the Gothic elegance of the ducal palace, featuring a heavenly panorama.

Pic: Kind courtesy Didier Descouens/Wikimedia Commons

Libreria Acqua Alta

A quirky bookstore, walkable from the Grand Canal. Books are in gondolas & bathtubs (safe from floods). Don’t miss the photo-op staircase made of old books.

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San Giorgio Maggiore Island

Climb the wee isle's church bell tower for a panoramic shot of Venice’s skyline and lagoon -- fewer crowds and unmatched views.

Pic: Kind courtesy Ahmet AZAKLI/Pexels
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