The city of Venice, Italy is simply stunning and completely unique. Founded more than 1,500 years ago on 117 different islands, Venice is linked by a series of over 150 canals, 400 bridges and many ancient pavements. The historic city centre of Venice is divided into six quarters (sestieri) - Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Marco, San Polo and Santa Croce. All buildings in Venice are supported on slender oak and pine piles (posts) which are driven deep into the ground to create a solid foundation.
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The Venetian Gondola
While gondolas were once regularly used by Venetians, especially of the upper classes, today vaporetti have become the main form of water transportation in Venice. A couple hundred years ago there were about 10,000 gondolas but today there are only about 500.
A gondola is flat and made of wood. It's 11 meters long, weighs 600 kg and is hand built in special workshops called squeri of which there are still a few today. Gondolas are seen in festival parades and in regate or rowing competitions.