Venezia, or Venice as it’s called in English, holds a special place in my heart. Venice is the capital of the Veneto region of Italy, which is where I’m from, and is a city I visited a lot with my family when I was young. It’s a city that is simply breathtaking and fascinating in it’s history and construction.
The city sits inside a lagoon at the top of the Adriatic sea and is built over 117 of small islands, separated by 177 canals, and connected by 409 bridges. It’s the largest car free area in Europe. Even today, all transportation in Venice is either on foot or by boat. It’s the only functioning city in Europe that runs and operates without cars or trucks.
One of the things Venice is most known for is the gondola. In modern times the gondola has become strictly a tourist attraction, but in ancient times they were used wealthy families as modes of transportation within the city. Each family owned their own gondola, and decorated them in the colors and symbols of their house.
Another thing Venice is known for are it’s beautiful carnival masks. These breathtaking handmade masks are usually adorned during the Carnevale di Venezia, which starts 40 days before Eastern and goes on until Fat Tuesday.
