Venice is arguably one of the most beautiful places in Italy (and the world!)
For years travelers have been mesmerized by the endless canals, narrow streets, fairytale gondolas, and incredible views in Venice, Italy. Curious to learn more about the floating city? We are sharing a few facts that you may not know!
The city sits on 118 Islands, separated by 150 canals: Many of the islands are knitted together with a series of 400 footbridges, but some, like the famous Burano, Murano, and Torcello, are set further out in the lagoon and are only accessible by boat or water taxi.
There are no cars in Venice: Once you reach the city center, you won’t spot any cars: boats essentially take the place of cars in central Venice, and canals take the place of roads.
Venice has its own language: Perhaps another kind of disguise is the city’s dialect, called Venexiàn. Some linguists insist it’s actually another language altogether, not a dialect of Italian.
Venice has one of the world’s narrowest streets: While you’re wandering along its 150 canals and 400 footbridges, you can find one of the world’s narrowest streets. Calletta Varisco measures just 53cm – or 21 inches – across. This is definitely not a route for strolling hand in hand with your love.
Giorgia Boscolo, Venice’s First Female Gondolier. Image via Huffington Post
There is only one official female gondolier: As the gondolier profession was historically passed from father to son, women never had the chance to pursue this as a career. After almost a thousand years of being an exclusively male business, Giorgia Boscolo, the daughter of a gondolier, became Venice’s first licensed gondoliera around 2010.
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