Venice

Sailing past one of Venice's many beautiful canal churches. Photo: Niels Andeweg.

The city of Venice (Venezia to the Italians) stretches across numerous small islands in a lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. It has a population of about 272,000. Lord Byron called Venice "a fairy city of the heart." The ancient city is also known as La Serenissima, "The Most Serene."

Venice is a unique cityscape of well-worn buildings that seem to float on water and front steps that descend into the lapping waters. Inhabited since the 6th century AD, Venice became a major sea power during the Crusades and a center of commerce and art during the Renaissance.

Positioned at the crossroads of the Byzantine and Roman worlds, Venice acquired a unique heritage of art, architecture, and culture. Today, the hordes of traders and merchants that swarmed Venice have been replaced by tourists, but there is so much to see in this unique city that you can still have the "real Venice" all to yourself in the many charming alleys, churches, bridges and plazas that are hiding just off the beaten track. And even San Marco is quiet if you get up early enough!

	Venice Aerial Map Locate churches and other sights on our fully interactive map of Venice with high-resolution aerial imagey.
	Venice Books Hand-picked resources for your trip to Venice.
	Venice Tours Book a tour of Venice's sights with a knowledgeable guide.
	Venice Hotel Bookings Find and book your Venice hotel.
	Venice Hotel Reviews Read unbiased reviews and compare prices on hotels in Venice.
	Venice Car Rentals You can't drive a car in Venice - this is one of the beauties of the city of canals! But you can pick up a rental car in Venice and head out to explore northern Italy on your own timetable.
	Venice Travel Forum Get travel advice and insider tips on Lima from fellow travelers.
	Cheap Flights to Venice Compare airfares, find cheap deals and check availability for flights to Venice.

	Venice Churches See a complete listing of Venice's most notable churches, with a brief summary of each and links to articles and photos.
	Basilica di San Marco A Byzantine wonder that's more Istanbul than Italy, St. Mark's Basilica is coated in golden mosaics and filled with treasure.
	Jewish Ghetto Here all Jews were forced to live from the 16th to the 18th century, as made famous by Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. Today it is still a Jewish neighborhood, with five synagogues.
	Jewish Museum and Synagogue This museum displays Jewish ritual objects made or used in Venice and provides guided tours to synagogues in the neighborhood.
	Santa Maria dei Miracoli This barrel-shaped church is a favorite among Venetians for weddings. Inside, the ceiling glistens with golden miniatures of holy figures.
	Santa Maria della Salute One of Venice's most well-known landmarks, this Baroque church at the entrance to the Grand Canal houses a precious Byzantine icon and works by Titian and Tintoretto.
	Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari A Franciscan church built in 1330, I Frari is best known for its masterpieces by Titian and other artists.