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Why?  Floating on its blue lagoon with an almost dream-like quality, Venice is just as romantic and beautiful as it looks in travelogues and movies, so no-one who realises their ambition of a holiday in Venice is likely to be disappointed. The piazzas and singing gondoliers, the idiosyncratic buildings and water taxis are all there to be seen, admired and photographed for posterity. A Venice holiday will surpass all expectations.

When?  The busiest tourist seasons in Venice are between spring and autumn (April to October), over Christmas and during the popular Carnival in February. However, these may not be the best times to travel to Venice if you don't enjoy crowds of sightseers. Winter is a good option for a Venice holiday because although it is cool and wet, the sights are more easily enjoyed and accommodation is cheaper.

Who for?  A holiday in Venice will appeal to romantics, as well as anyone who is fascinated with Italy, history and the novelty of a city built on islands.

More Info:  To discover what awaits you on a Venice holiday, and to help plan your holiday in Venice, make use of our Venice travel guide, which details the top attractions and events, as well as providing a comprehensive overview of the city.

Overview

Elegant Venetian buildings and palaces peer over the ancient maze of narrow streets and labyrinth of canals that make up this unique city. Tourists naturally flock to Venice to experience its inimitable charm. The downside of this can be felt in the narrow streets and cramped piazzas of its sought-after areas. A good way to get to know a more personal side of Venice is to saunter through its romantic back streets and residential quarters.

Venice rests on one of a series of 117 islands distributed throughout the Venetian lagoon, at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea. This strategic position conferred on Venice economic and defensive advantages over its trading rivals. As the wealth of the city increased and its population grew, the composition of the city grew ever more dense and today only a handful of the islets that constitute the historic centre are not entirely developed.

The historic centre is divided into six quarters (sestieri). These are: San Marco, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Santa Croce, Cannaregio and Castello. The city's main thoroughfare is the Grand Canal that intersects each district as it meanders through the length of Venice, from the railway station to San Marco. An alternative to walking the bewildering streets of Venice is to cruise the waterways onboard the motorboat buses known as vaporetti. These are the less romantic but also less expensive substitutes for the famous gondolas.

Venice extends beyond its six sestieri to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. These are known for glass and lace-making respectively, and Torcello is noted for the magnificent Byzantine Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta that rests on its soil. Trips by boat to the islands provide a pleasant diversion from the busier historic quarters.