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Venice, the city built directly on canals, has attracted explorers down the centuries. The port city serves as a critical element in the shipping world and has drawn the attention of famous explorers like Marco Polo. Today, visitors of all ages are enchanted by the beauty and history of this famous Italian city. Venice encapsulated the soul of Italy. If you want to have a truly Italian experience, look no further than the North Italian city of Venice. The city has its unique style of art and architecture, delicious food and friendly people. Its importance in the shipping routes has opened it to influence from outside, particularly Turkish. Hence you would find Byzantine designs in Venetian architecture and gold coating of surfaces. The most popular tourist spot in Venice is St. Mark's Basilica or San Marco as popularly known. This is a must see for you. San Marco was restored in the Jubilee year of 2000 and is now a sight to behold, with all the gold, mosaics and carvings. Do not miss the four horses that stand guard over the basilica. These horses have a piece of history attached to it. Napoleon took these four equines after one of his victories, and these were returned to the basilica in 1815. The piazza where the basilica is situated is known for its pigeon population and is just as famous as the building itself. However, if you are bird shy, you can watch from the arcades on either side of it. But, you must not miss out on the beautiful Doge's Palace and all the shops in the square. Although Venice is a city of bridges that cross over the lagoons and canals, the most famous by far is the "Bridge of Sighs." Located near the Piazza San Marco, this beautiful bridge can be viewed easily from the Grand Canal. The name of this 17th Century bridge comes from prisoners who would pass through the beautiful bridge on the way to their cells. The other famous bridge in Venice is the Rialto Bridge, which straddles the Grand Canal. Shops line both sides of this famous bridge, allowing visitors to purchase a wide variety of Venetian goods. Legend states that couples who kiss while riding under the bridge on the city's classic gondolas will remain in love forever. Gondolas have been a major attraction of this famous city for a long long time. Take a ride on these long black boats. What is unique about this experience is that these stripe shirted gondoliers use only a pole for navigation and have the knowledge of the city's canal system on their fingertips. If you tip and tip well, they would most definitely oblige you with a song. By far the most famous item made in Venice is the lovely Murano Glass. Made in a tiny island just minutes from the Piazza San Marco, Murano is home to some of the most famous glass companies in the world. Be sure to visit the factories and see how these masters of glass blow and shape molten glass into exquisite creations.
Ingrid Ingra is the owner of F italy, the best place on the internet for information about italy. For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.finitaly.com/articles Visit our italy article directory for a completely unique version of this article.
Article Source: http://www.changingearth.org
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