Venice: an introduction

Venice is a small city on the water. Composed of many small islands, crossed by narrow canals, joined to the mainland by a single bridge, Venice is encircled by the lagoon. It is protected from the sea by narrow stretches of land that create natural barriers broken up by outlets to the sea, which guarantee continuous water exchange for the lagoon.

These long sand lidos are beaches, once outposts toward the sea, today precious and unusual bathing localities for their long stretches of still very wild vegetation. The singularity of this physical environment has allowed Venice to become one of the most beautiful and richest cities in the world: protected by water, Venice has never needed to close itself within walls and has seen the sea as an opportunity to unite its history with that of the other Mediterranean civilization.

Crossroads between East and Central Europe, Venice very soon realised that its development also depended on conquering other territories on the Po Plains and toward the Alps.

As small as it was, it needed forests to obtain lumber in order to construct its boats. From a small community of boatmen, to a seafaring nation able to conquer the farthest markets of the East, Venice today, in urban terms, is no different from how it was seen by the pilgrims and traders coming from every angle of the world centuries ago.

On a relatively small surface, the city is developed with an exclusively pedestrian network between alleys and squares, with an endless array of architectonic and artistic treasures that are perhaps impossible to quantify.

The majesty and wealth of the places, churches and treasures that are hidden there are such to render Venice one the richest city in the world. Small, fragile, obstinate in its physical isolation, it is far from immobile, apparently indifferent to modernity, and open to all religious creeds, Venice is a natural tourist destination. On the strength of its past and an undisputed landmark for art and culture, Venice today continues to be a city that lives on the water. Rhythms and lifetimes here are totally different from any other city in the world.