5 Things You Must Do In Venice, Italy

Author: James Burrows

Located in Northern Italy, Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world today that radiates romance and love throughout its streets. Known as the "city of canals" / "city of water", Venice charms every art lover and those who appreciate true beauty. So what's a must when you head to Venice?

1. Basilica di San Marco; Campanile - This is an amazing place to start of your Venice vacation with a beautiful birds eye view of the city at its finest You pay a small fee to ride to the top but its well worth it for the amazing view from the tallest bell tower in the city.

2. Piazza San Marco - Often referred to as the center of Venice, the Piazza San Marco is one of the most popular tourists' destinations today with its marvelous architecture and a little something for everyone. If you really want to make the most of your experience I suggest you visit it both during the day and at night and be prepared to be very pleasantly surprised by the beauty this Piazza and its surrounding holds. Another weird yet fun activity to try out would be pigeon feeding, located in the Piazza San Marco as well. Buy some pigeon food (sold everywhere all over the Piazza) and watch dozens of pigeons flock to you within seconds.

3. Gondola Rides - No trip to Venice is complete without a Gondola ride through the watery streets of Venice. Whether you're there as a couple or just family and friends, a Gondola Ride offers you a different view of Venice with some of the best sites seen from the comfort of your cushioned boat than anywhere else.

4. Doge's Palace - Take a tour through the gothic palace of Venice that was once considered to house the rulers of the city. Get your reservations early as this is a popular tourist activity as well, with some of the best highlights to be seen behind the closed doors and prison-tour of the Doge's Palace.

5. Grand Canal - A vaporetto boat ride along the Grand Canal is another way to see Venice by the water. The busiest canal in the city and the most important one at that, you'll find yourself at the heart of bustling life and gorgeous buildings on each side. The best part about the the boat ride is that it's pretty cheap so you can take it a few times over to indulge in the beauty of Venice.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_587358_29.html

About the Author: Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Venice apartments in Italy & Vacation rentals apartments.

http://www.holiday-velvet.com/

Republished by Direct From Venice, an online retailer of Murano jewelry

Visiting the Venice Carnival

There are many carnivals celebrated all over the world but the Carnival of Venice is one of the best known and most visited of them all. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Venice during the Carnival to enjoy the amazing costumes, Venetian Masks, events, balls, parties and of course Venice's spectacular city attractions. Visiting the Carnival of Venice is easier than you might think, especially with the following useful information in hand!

When is the Carnival of Venice?
The Venice Carnival is an annual festival that's taken place every year since it was reborn in 1979 though historically the Carnival of Venice is hundreds of years old.
Like many carnivals around the world, the actual dates of the Venice Carnival are dictated by the religious calendar, depending on when Lent falls. In 2011 the Carnival of Venice will be from Saturday 26 February until Tuesday 8 March but you can work out future years by knowing that it begins on a Friday or Saturday and runs for one and a half weeks until ending on Mardi Gras (or Fat) Tuesday.

Getting to the Carnival of Venice
The city of Venice is in high demand with tourists whatever the time of year but the peak summer season and the Venice Carnival season are the most popular times. If you're planning to come along to the Carnival of Venice you should book your travel arrangements and accommodation as early as possible.
There are two airports that serve the Venice area - the Venice Marco Polo Airport, and the Treviso Airport. The Treviso Airport is good for cheaper flights to Venice but unless you want a longer transfer time you'd be better off booking a flight to Venice's Marco Polo Airport instead. From the airport you can take a water taxi to the historic centre of Venice and arrive in style!

Where to Stay in Venice
During the Venice Carnival the streets of Venice are even more vibrant than the rest of the year and there's always something going on! Staying in the heart of historic Venice puts you right in the middle of all the action giving you easy access to those events and all of Venice's other attractions. However, the centre of Venice is the most expensive place to stay and is over budget for many visitors to the Venice Carnival.
You could also consider staying on the Mainland (Terreferma) as prices of hotels are considerably cheaper here and it's easy to get over to the heart of Venice via boats and the bridge that connects the centre of Venice to the mainland.

Another option is the outlying islands of the Venetian Lagoon such as the Lido, Murano, and Burano to name just a few, and these are connected to central Venice via water buses, called vaporetti.

Venice Carnival Events
With Venice's reputation for being such an expensive city it's reassuring to know that the majority of events at the Carnival of Venice are actually free! Numerous events take place across the course of the one and a half week long Venice Carnival including performances, parties, children's events, fireworks, competitions, and of course the famous masked balls!

Most of the events that take place within the streets and squares of Venice are free to attend and you can pick up a calendar of events from the Venice tourist information centres at the beginning of your stay in Venice or check the posted schedules each day in places like St Mark's Square.

If you want to get along to one of Venice's famous masked balls then you'll need to spend some money to do so! Demand is high for these events even though ticket prices can be very high, and to really look the part you'll need to splash out on buying or renting a costume and of course a mask!

Venice Carnival Opening and Closing Parties
The opening and closing parties are usually the most popular events each year of the Venice Carnival, attracting thousands of people into the huge St Mark's Square. The Grand Opening Party will take place on the first Sunday of the Carnival of Venice, and the night ends with a spectacular fireworks show, definitely one of the highlights of the Venice Carnival for many visitors!

Christopher Auriol is a traveller with an interest in European history and culture. Visit his site for more information about Venice Carnival and the Carnival of Venice Events.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Auriol 

 

Venice - The City of Masks

By Peter Merifield

Last year, during the period between about two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ending on Shrove Tuesday, I ventured to Venice to revel and make merry for their annual celebration: the Carnival of Venice. I have been to many festivals across the globe, and have thoroughly enjoyed most of them, but the Carnival of Venice is truly a party you don't want to miss!

The day I arrived in Venice was the first day of the Carnival and the streets were already bustling with masked men and women. I checked into my hotel, one of the nicer Venice hotels in the downtown district, and I immediately unpacked my costumes and masks ready, armed, and well-equipped to begin partying. All the hotels in Venice were booked and packed with revelers and you could feel the energy in the streets, imbuing the whole city with a type of magical whimsy.

Italy has a long history of masques or masked party events. Saturnalia, an Ancient Roman festival, predates the Carnival of Venice by many years; it began in 217 BC, but shares a defining quality that still permeates the modern Carnival of Venice; both festivals use masks, dress-up, and role-play to transcend the class divisions. During Saturnalia, the masters would dress up as slaves and vice-versa, and during the Carnival of Venice, roles are switched and masks create a temporary, veritable egalitarian state. Both parties relish role-play, the ability to transform, disfiguration and transfiguration, and everyone is avidly invited to join in on the festivities. North America could certainly benefit from this type of celebration in more ways than one.

I vacationed in Venice for two weeks during the Carnival of Venice, and everyday I was clothed in various costumes and masks and I happily adopted new identities based on the day, based on my fancy, and based on my costume/mask for the day. Shedding identities like a snake shedding its skin felt immensely invigorating. I would exhort any/all of my friends to try it out for themselves as it is an invariably refreshing, fun, and revitalizing experience.

Articles Source: Venice: The City of Masks

Republished by Direct From Venice an online Venetian glass jewelry store.