There is no other city in the world, which beauty and originality could be compared with those of Venice. There are many cities with but a dozen canals, which try to don on the glory of Venice calling themselves «Eastern Venice», «African Venice», or «Northern Venice», however, there will always be only one Venice, the city on the islands of the Adriatic with a glorious history and magnificent architecture.
You can not compare Venice with the capitals of great empires, such as Rome, Paris and London, or Petersburg. They are surely very beautiful cities, but only Venice retained its original medieval beauty and peculiar romantic atmosphere. It is only there that sweethearts began to love each other even stronger, when they slide, cuddled together, in gondola on the canals of Venice, between palaces and bridges.
You should start your acquaintance with the city from San Marco Square. It was once the center of political and public life of Venice. It features one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles of the city, including San Marco Cathedral and Giorgione Tower, as well as graceful palaces built in Venetian style. If you step out onto the Embankment, you will have Doge`s Palace on your left (doges were Venetian rulers in the Middle Ages).
To the left of Doge`s Palace there is a beautiful embankment going along the sea bay. And to the right of it there starts the famous Grand Canal of Venice, which is the main transport corridor of the city. Grand Canal goes almost through the entire city and you can see there the most beautiful palaces of Venice. You should have a ride on it, if not in gondola (it would take a lot of time), then at least in a vaporetto or regular boat.
As to gondola ride, you should have it by all means. You may take a gondola at one of the landing near San Marco Square and set out on a tour of narrow canals. And this tour would be more romantic than Grand Canal cruising. You will pass under the famous Bridge of Sights, connecting Doge`s Palace with municipal prison, and then on to the other beautiful bridges and palaces of the city.
Grand Canal is spanned by three bridges, one of which, Rialto Bridge, is built in the form of a beautiful arch occupied by shopping mall. It can be considered the most beautiful bridge of Venice, though the other bridges aren’t less romantic.
