In a little over 2 hours, you can be in Venice via train from Florence. Once there you take a water taxi to town. The ride is exciting with anticipation, and it only gets better. You de-boat right in the thick of things. The Piazza San Marco, St. Mark’s Basilica, and il Campanile are right there. Plenty of people and activities.
Venice is a city of canals and it’s refreshing as sooner or later you will notice - no cars. Quiet, slower paced and the Water Taxi driver does the driving. Chauffeured transportation in a boat in a canal - what’s better. There are about 350 gondolas and 400 gondolieri in Venice. Of course you can walk in Venice to see the canals, bridges, museums and buildings are a mix of Italian Renaissance art and Byzantine-influenced architecture.
Little known fact about Venice is that the canals are not there for tourists. Early legend was that Venetians fled the mainland in the 5th century and built canals as protection from invaders. Turns out it’s unlikely. Venice is on the island of Torcello. Evidence exists showing Venice on canals and lagoons back to ancient Rome. Most of the city is built on man-made islands and wooden posts known as "zatterone" which translates to English meaning raft.
Over time, Venice became a bigger center of commerce than Torcello. Venice grew initially in the 5th and 6th centuries. Growth was about trade and fisheries. Nature played a role as Torcello's harbor filled up with silt. Venice grew economically, politically, and artistically. Other Venetian claims to fame include the first woman in the world to earn a university degree, Elena Piscopia in 1840, as well as Casanova the famous womanizer who was born and lived in Venice.
Go to Venice today to experience the art, history, food, and culture. Like much of Italy and Europe, Venice combines fast paced, modern life-style with an ancient history that was very influential.
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