"Water, water, everywhere!" a Venice Travel Page by mattreider

Venice is a floating Disneyland, with 50 million visitors a year! There is no off season, and you are assured of a multicultural experience, if by multicultural you mean being served food in an italian restaurant by a Chinese waitress, being sold refrigerator magnets by an Afghani, and buying cheap knock-off purses from an African.

Otherwise, it's typical floating-city-in-the-clouds stuff, with 80 Euro gondola rides and crappy italian food with a string quartet in the background of St. Marks.

By all means, please visit. But make it a few days, not more.

Like all good European towns, Venice has a town square. St. Marco's, as it is called, is of course the home of the church, the business and administrative buildings, and the Doge's Palace.

What makes St. Marks interesting is that it floods at high tide. Oops. Don't worry, there are little doggy paths a foot or two off the ground so you can make it around.

If you do get lost, and you will -- head for St. Marcos. It's the only landmark in town.

Just take the boat around for a day trip and find the hidden gems of Venice -- The Guggenheim museum, Palladio's famous facade. Don't worry, you can always find your way back. Probably.