The name rolls off the tongue: La Serenissima. Called a "paradise of cities" by more than one writer, Venice is certainly one of the most romantic places that can be visited. The archipelago city has been home to scholars and artists aplenty, as well as a crossroads for eastern and western cultures to mingle and grow.
When sightseeing in Venice, there are a number of locations that simply must be visited. The Canal Grande is one such. As Venice's "main street," the wide waterway is the central thoroughfare, along which rests virtually every other site to be seen in the city. Another is St. Mark's Cathedral: Located in the Piazza San Marco, the vast, Byzantine-era basilica is unavoidable in its splendor, the four horses – replicas of originals taken from Constantinople itself – rearing high above the city.
On the same open square is the Doges' Palace, the home of the long-time rulers of the city. Its famous façade, in multi-colored brickwork that lends the Gothic arches along its front a middle-eastern appearance – can be seen from the moment a visitor steps out of a gondola at the far end of the square.
These are only a few of the beautiful sights that await a visitor to the Most Serene Republic.
