Venice, situated in the northeast of Italy, is built over one hundred islands in the Venice Lagoon containing one main canal, Canal Grande, and another 150 smaller ones connected by over 400 bridges. Famous bridges are Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs which are set in a romantic environment with gondolas passing under them and gondoliers singing in the background. Situated at the centre of Venice is Piazza San Marco, overlooked by the Cathedral, the 15th century clock tower and the Doge’s Palace. One of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, Venice is a unique place which is best visited by wandering the backstreets and the hundreds of bridges or by waterway either on the gondola or on the amazing water bus, Vaporetto. The atmosphere is always festive, however the best time to visit is in spring around Easter time, September is also nice while July and August are the two most crowded months and the intense summer heat with the stagnant water can often cause an unpleasant smells. Venice has a very colourful Carnival taking place every February, which, with parades of carnival masks surrounded by music and dance, is the best in Italy.
The area surrounding Campo di Santa Margarita in San Polo, which is frequented by university students, is good for upbeat bars and restaurants and is the place for lively weekend markets.
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