If Paris is the city of love then Venice is the city of Romance. A truly beautiful city, just traveling around you feel a nostalgic romance, and the city will seduce you with its beauty and atmosphere of peace and calm.

During the summer the weather can make the city quite unpleasant, the canals can stink and sometimes there are infestations of flies, the city is also very busy with lots of tourists so it is generally recommended to go during the spring or Autumn/fall time.

Venice is one of the most interesting cities in the world. It is the only pedestrian city in the world so walking it is the main way to get around which can make for a completely new and pleasant experience. There are lots of water buses (Vaporetti) and water taxis can make your journeys much quicker, but the latter tends to be more expensive. There are of course the water gondolas which is the height of the romance of Venice and a beautiful way to experience the city. When doing this remember to agree a time and price (not just the price) but expect it to be relatively expensive.

The most famous part of Venice is the central district where there are 118 separate islands, this is where you will find most of the main museums, churches and examples of her fine architecture, some of the better known sights are:

Saint Mark’s Basilica – located on the Piazza san Marco this is a quite beautiful church, and very worth visiting. It is definitely a good idea to reserve in advance and there can be huge queues here that last for many hours. Reservation is free.

Peggy Guggenheim Museum – located on the southern side of the Grand Canal, to the east of the Academia Bridge. The museum has a number of works of modern art and a sculpture garden including works by Picasso, Kadinsky and Dali amongst other famous names.

The Rialto Bridge – This bridge has become an iconic landmark of Venice, built in 1591 it replaced a wooden version that collapsed in 1524.

Venice, as you would expect of anywhere in Italy, also has plenty of shopping, shows and restaurants all of which can make for interesting diversions to fill your days.

Venice is a city that needs to be explored the atmosphere, the architecture and artwork displayed all over cannot fail to seduce you and you really will feel that this is the city of romance. It is a great place to visit and a trip here anytime of the year is worth it, whilst it may now be a little past its best it is still a fascinating and unique world city.