Venice is the only city of its kind in the world because of the way it was developed: it was built on over 100 islands in a lagoon four kilometers from terra firma and two kilometers from the Adriatic Sea. The entire historic center, crisscrossed by canals connected by hundreds of bridges, is a treasure from the artistic and architectural point of view.
It takes on an exceptional atmosphere during the phenomenon of "high water," when the high tide exceeds the level of dry land and floods the main streets and piazzas of Venice.
For these reasons, Venice is one of the cities most visited by tourists from around the world. From the administrative point of view, it is the capitol of the province and of the Veneto region. It has 310,000 inhabitants.

Venice was built around 450 AD on the islands of the lagoon, as a refuge from the barbarian incursions following the fall of the Roman Empire, and always had a republican form of government. At first it was under Byzantine influence, but between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries it became more and more powerful on account of its trade with the East. Thereafter it fell into a long political decline, culminating in the loss of its centuries – old independence when it became part of the Napoleonic Empire.

By Car
Venice is accessible by car via the A4 highway (Turin-Milan-Trieste).
At Mestre the highway connects with a superhighway 11 kilometers in length (via "Ponte della Libertà," Liberty Bridge), that one traverses to reach the lagoon.
With the car, however, one cannot go beyond Piazzale Roma, where there is pay parking.
Another way of reaching Venice is to leave the car in the Mestre area and use public buses, which guarantee excellent connections with Piazzale Roma.

By plane
The airport of Venice/Tessera, the "Marco Polo," is located 13 kilometers from the city and is served by most large international airlines.

By train
The Venice train station is called Santa Lucia and is located at the S. Lucia Quay, near the final stretch of the Grand Canal. It is served daily by Intercity and Eurocity trains. The Mestre station, on terra firma, is found in Piazzale Favretti.

Vaporetti (steamers) and gondolas
The only public transport system in the old centre is on the canals – the motorboats that act as taxis (24 hours a day), the vaporetto ferries and the traditional gondolas. The water taxis and ferries go on the wider canals and also between the city and the bigger islands. Boats and gondolas can go on the narrower canals and are recommended to those who want to take away a very special memory of the city’s atmosphere. Ferry tickets are on sale at the jetties. Trips on water taxis and gondolas are paid directly to the boatman according to the agreed price.

Tourist Offices
APT di Venezia – Call Center Castello - Venice Tel. 041 5298711
APT di Venezia – Touristic service Tel. 041 5298701
IAT - S. Marco Tel. 041 5298711
IAT – Railway Station Tel. 041 5298711/5298727
IAT – Venice Lido Tel. 041.5298711/5265720
Useful numbers
Police: 113
Carabinieri: 112
Fire Brigade: 115
Medical Emergency service: 118

Fish from the Adriatic Sea are the dominant theme in Venetian cuisine, which is particularly refined and tasty on account of the historical contact with the East. From a menu of local specialities, we recommend that you try soused sardines (sarde in saor) braised with onion, sultanas, candled peel, pine nuts and vinegar, with the typical oriental fondness for sweet and sour. There is more to Venetian cooking than fish, however, and among the best known and flavoursome dishes are risi e bisi, a delicate risotto made with peas, and fegato alla veneziana, sliced liver cooked with a lightly-fried mixture of onion, parsley, butter and oil.

For shopping, we suggest buying pieces of the coloured glassware that is sought after throughout the world for the originality of its taste. These are to be found in the innumerable souvenir shops in the centre, in all sizes and at all prices, from blown paperweights to little animal ornaments and from traditional carnival masks to necklaces and elaborated chandeliers.

Theatre
Fondazione Teatro La Fenice di Venezia
Venezia, San Marco 1965
Tel. 041/5210161; 041/5204010
Palafenice
Venezia, Isola del Tronchetto.

Teatro Malibran
Corte del Teatro Malibran
Tel. 041/2418029

Palafenice
Isola Nuova del Tronchetto
Tel. 041/786511

Teatro a l’ Avogaria
Venezia, sestiere Dorsoduro 1617
Tel. 041/5206130

Teatro Fondamenta Nuove
Venezia, via Cannaregio 5013
Tel. 041/2770407

Casino
Ca’ Vendramin Calergi
Cannaregio 2040
Tel. 041/5297111

Venice Casinò – Ca’ Noghera
Via Triestina, 222 – Tessera
Tel. 041/5297111