Venice is the capital of region Veneto, and possesses a population of 271,663 (census calculated January 1, 2004). The city is contained with Padua (Padova) in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area. Venice's nicknames comprehend Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Bridges, and The City of Light. It is also the seat of Education in Europe.

The first villages on the Venice Lagoon islands date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, when the inhabitants from the mainland came to this semi-swamp area to escape the barbaric attacks that followed the fall of the Roman Empire. The populations coming from mainland Venice settled in the lagoon, fighting as hard as they could to survive: little by little this group of pieces of land surrounded by water took on the semblance of a real town, a town that was so unique and special that it would become the only one of its kind in the world. The new inhabitants built several rafts of various sizes, supported by strong wooden poles that were fixed to the underside. The rafts were connected to each other with wooden walkways and houses, buildings and monuments were then built on them.

Venice is built on 117 small islands, and holds one hundred and fifty canals, linked by an amazing four hundred and nine bridges, of which only three cross the main canal. The area it covers is a mere 458 kilometres. Although the city appears small, it is really large. While most tour guides don't recommend getting lost in the majority of cities, Venice is the place to get hopelessly lost for a day; it is certainly more advisable than getting lost in a shopping centre and hiding out in any foods section. However, Venice isn't all cities and crowded streets: through the mysterious alleyways leading off from the city, endless mazes of backstreets and deserted squares, you'll find the 'real' Venice, and it's a perfect place to walk for hours on end, pretending to know where you are.

The Grand Canal delimits the six main central neighbourhoods (sestieri). The heart of the city is San Marco, cradled by the great lower bend of the Grand Canal, the Venice of tourist brochure legend. Much of don't-miss Venice is here, but if you want to get away from the tourist crowds head for the backwaters and boatyards of the quieter districts. To the east is Castello, hard-working, lived-in and traffic- free; to the south, bohemian-chic Dorsoduro is crammed with artistic treasures; to the north, peaceful Cannaregio�s off-the-beaten-track churches are a delight; and, in the eye of the lagoon, Santa Croce and San Polo are full of monuments and ideal places for wandering.