Venice Hotels

And yet with this calm air around her, the city used to be Christianity's strong fortress in the time of the Crusades. And being a major trading port in the bygone ages, there are remnants of east and west influences seen around the city's architecture which is a mixed bag of Byzantine, Renaissance and Gothic styles.

They say that Venice continues to sink especially when the occasional high tides sweep the whole city. And add to this, the touristy crowds can be quite a dampener. But this romantic city has not lost its charm altogether. Venice still ranks as one of the best holiday destinations for where else can drifting away in a fancy gondola and passing by antiquated bridges and buildings is the norm and not a novelty?

Attractions

Venice is laid out in a maze style, the centre of which is divided into six quarters. The main artery is the Grand Canal which passes through all the six districts. Should you get tired of riding gondolas, opt for the pedestrian pathways through the three bridges from the station, Rialto and Accademia.

St. Mark's Square is the most popular landmark of Venice next to the Grand Canal. This is the heart of the city from which stands the Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale. The Basilica is a daunting figure in the Venetian skyline with its domes and arches jutting in and out. Maritime treasures are on display inside and the altar is laden with gold (apart from the golden mosaics above the doorways) and precious jewels. The square is a jampacked promenade with cafes filled to the brim and pigeons joining in the fray!

The city still has a few more interesting attractions on offer. Another famous area is Rialto in which the bulk of commercial activities continues to flow. Basilica dei Frari holds the burial grounds of famed Venetians Antonio Canova and Titian. It also has a good range of art pieces adorning the church's interiors. To sample more of Venice's art, visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection inside Palazzo Venier dei Leoni and the Academia Gallery as well.

Further outings beyond the tourist path will lead to Murano and Burano islands. You can watch the local artesans here as they go about creating exquisite glass beads, baubles and fancy lace crafts.

Events

Carnival of Venice in February paints the town red as merry-making fills the whole city with parades, magic shows, puppeteers and masquerade balls attended by people from all parts of the world dressed in elegant costumes. The Feast Day of The Redeemer is a religious festival in July commemorating the lives felled during the plague that hit the city in the Middle Ages.

The canals of Venice have seen quite a few regattas here and there. The biggest one is Historical Regatta, a long procession of colourful gondolas kicking off on the first Sunday of September. This celebrates one of the Venetian victories in the early days, its conquest over Cyprus.

Climate

• Winter (November to February) 3-8°C; the city is quieter with temperatures generally fairly mild but is prone to flooding and cold winds.

• Spring (March to May) 5 - 21°C; warm and quite sunny

• Summer (June to August) 17 - 27°C; still pleasant but can reach high humidity levels with some thunderstorms

• Fall (September to October) 16 - 19°C; weather mild and generally good