Pellestrina is an island in northern Italy, forming a barrier between the southern Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea, lying south west of the Lido. The island is 11 kilometres (7 miles) long and has since the eighteenth century been bounded to its seaward side by large embankments. There are four main villages: San Pietro in Volta, Porto Secco, Sant’ Antonio di Pellestrina and Pellestrina, known for their colourfully-painted houses. read more…
The Bridge of Sighs is a bridge in Venice, Italy. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Prison (Prigioni Nuove) to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace. It was designed by Antonio Contino, whose uncle Antonio da Ponte designed the Rialto Bridge, and it was built in 1600. read more…
The Venetian Ghetto was the area of Venice in which Jews were compelled to live by the government of the Venetian Republic. The English word ghetto is derived from the Jewish ghetto in Venice. The Venetian Ghetto was instituted on 29 March 1516 and is the oldest Jewish ghetto in the world. It was not the first time that Jews in Venice were compelled to live in a segregated area of the city. In 1797 the French army of Italy, commanded by the 28-year-old General Napoleon Bonaparte, conquered Venice, dissolved the Venetian republic, and ended the ghetto’s separation from the city. In the 19th century, the ghetto was renamed the Contrada dell’unione. The Ghetto is an area of the Cannaregiosestiere of Venice, divided into the Ghetto Nuovo (“New Ghetto”), and the adjacent Ghetto Vecchio (“Old Ghetto”). These names of the ghetto sections are misleading, as they refer to an older and newer site at the time of their use by the foundries: in terms of Jewish residence, the Ghetto Nuovo is actually older than the Ghetto Vecchio. read more…
The Lido – or Venice Lido (Lido di Venezia) – is an 11-kilometre (7-mile) long sandbar in Venice, northern Italy; it is home to about 20,000 residents. The sandbar form a barrier between the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian Lagoon. The Venice Film Festival takes place at the Lido every September. Venezia Lido, a public airport suitable for smaller aircraft, is found on the NE end of Lido di Venezia. It has a 1000 m grass runway. Lido developed in the 19th century to the fashionable seaside resort with luxurious hotels. read more…
Chioggia is a coastal town and comune of the province of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy. The municipality, located in south of the province, is close to the provinces of Padua and Rovigo. The town is situated on a small island at the southern entrance to the Lagoon of Venice about 25 km south of Venice (50 km by road); causeways connect it to the mainland and to its frazione, nowadays a quarter, of Sottomarina. The population of the comune is around 51,000, with the town proper accounting for about half of that and Sottomarina for most of the rest. read more…
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age. The lake and its shoreline are divided between the provinces of Verona (to the southeast), Brescia (southwest), and Trentino (north). Being easily accessible from the north via the Brenner Pass, the lake is a major tourist destination, including a number of exclusive hotels and resorts along its shore. read more…
Bassano del Grappa is a city and comune in northern Italy with 44,000 inhabitants. The city lies at the foothills of the Venetian Prealps, where river Brenta comes out the southern end of Canal di Brenta and flows in the lowlands at the borders of Vicenza, Treviso and Padua provinces. The original name of the town was Bassano Veneto. After the terrible battles on Mount Grappa in WWI, where thousands of soldiers lost their lives, a decision was made to change the name of the town. In 1928, the name was changed to Bassano del Grappa, meaning Bassano of Mount Grappa, as a memorial to the soldiers killed. Today Mount Grappa is a popular destination for cyclists and one of Europe’s most popular flying sites for hang gliders and paragliders. Bassano Del Grappa is also famous for inventing the spirit Grappa, traditionally an after-dinner drink made from pomace (discarded grape seeds, stalks, and stems). read more…
Adria is a town and comune in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po. The Etruscan city of Adria (“Hatria”) is below the modern city, three to four metres below the current level. Adria (“Hatria”) may have given its name during an early period to the Adriatic Sea, to which it was connected by channels. Adria and Spina were the Etruscan ports and depots for Felsina (now Bologna). read more…
San Donà di Piave is the largest city in Eastern Veneto and a comune of province of Venice, in the North East region of Italy. It bounds the communes of Noventa di Piave, Musile di Piave and Fossalta di Piave, that have become in practice a part of a single urban area, also known as Città del Piave. San Donà lies on the river Piave approximately 40 km north-east of Venice and 30 km (19 mi) east of Treviso. read more…
