Venice

Venice, the great Italian city built on the Po River delta, must be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Constructed around a network of canals rather than roads, this gem of old Europe is home to a dazzling array of palaces. Venice is around one and a half thousand years old and for many years was a city-state of great power and wealth after the models of Rome and Athens.

As well a center of political power Venice has always been hugely influential in the arts. There was even a distinct style of painting denoted by the name