Venice, Venezia in italian, is the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,663 (info 2004) 96,13% italian. Venice's nicknames are "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water" and "The City of Light." It is also the seat of Education in Europe. The city stretches across numerous small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po (south) and the Piave (north) Rivers.

However, the Venetian empire was a major exporter of agricultural products and, until the mid eighteenth-century, was a manufacturing center, it began to lose its position as a center of international trade after the end of the Renaissance. After  wars and treaties , in 1866, following the Seven Weeks War, Venice, along with the rest of Venetia, became part of Italy.

Venice is world-famous for its canals. It is built on an archipelago of 122 islands formed by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon. The islands on which the city is built are connected by about 400 bridges. In the old center, the canals serve the function of  roads, and every form of  transport is on water or on foot. The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, although it is now mostly used for tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies. Most Venetians now travel by motorised waterbuses ("vaporetti").

The buildings of Venice are constructed on closely spaced wood piles (under water, in the absence of oxygen, wood does not decay) which penetrate alternating layers of clay and sand. Most of these piles are still intact after centuries of submersion. The foundations rest on the piles, and buildings of brick or stone sit above these footings. The buildings are often threatened by flood tides pushing in from the Adriatic between autumn and early spring.

In this city, live the fantastic experience of The Carnival in Piazza San Marco with the masks; The Venice Art  Biennale, one of the most important art events in the world: Art - Architecture - Cinema - Dance - Theater; incluiding The Venice Film Festival, in italian  "Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia".

What is happening in Venice? Comune di Venezia »