Venice really needs no introduction. The Serenissima has been a fabled destination for centuries. Just the name Venice is enough to conjure up a host of images, even for those who have not yet set foot in Italy: gondoliers in striped jerseys, the Rialto and the Bridge of Sighs, masked balls, golden barges, courtesans in gondolas and crumbling palaces facing streets made of water. The western world's most famous figures visited Venice, marveled at the gold mosaics of St Mark's, admired art in churches, explored the city's maze of canals, and then proceeded to preach Venice's wonders to those unable to make the journey. The city has a very well developed lodging infrastructure which varies from Italy Venice holiday rentals, Venice holiday rentals, luxurious housesshort term rentals in Venice Italy, Bed and Breakfasts and hotels.

Venice vacations are a glorious cliché, more romantic, more beautiful and more surprising than you could expect. No matter how many photographs or films you may have seen, seeing Venice's canals and palaces for the first time is still a jaw dropping experience. That first cruise down the Grand Canal punctuated by exclamations and photo snapping is one of life's unforgettable experiences.

Venice's quietest season is winter. You're unlikely to find Venice low on tourists at any time, but late autumn and the first part of the winter are the best times to come if you want to avoid the crowds and take advantage of cheaper Venice holiday rental rates. This is the best time to see a tourist-free Venice. In February the two-week-long Carnival is one of Venice's big attractions and the crowds flock in, it is even more important at this time to book a Venice short term rental or Venice vacation rental well in advance. There are masks and parties, although a bit tamer now than the decadent excesses of the past. As the spring turns into summer, tourist numbers rise; Venice vacations in the height of summer are avoided by many. August can be swelteringly hot. The Venice Film Festival takes place in late August and early September.

Venice is composed of more than a hundred tiny islets, packed closely together around canals. The city is in a lagoon, protected from the sea by a long strip of land called the Lido. Venice is famously sinking. Every year high water levels (aqua Alta) threaten the city's fabric, and it has long been feared that the beautiful city will one day disappear beneath the water. As befitting one of the world's major tourist destinations, Venice has large number of hotels and Venice apartment rentals. Italy Venice holiday rentals are generally fairly expensive; and the city is busy for most of the year, so it's highly advisable to book a short term rentals in Venice Italy well in advance.