For hundreds of years, travelers throughout Europe have been drawn to Venice by the beauty and romance that is created by the unique nature of this Northern Italian city.

The waterways are the lifeblood of the city and the most well known canal in Venice is the Grand Canal – known by the locals as ‘the most beautiful street in the world’. The Canal is the main thoroughfare of the city is spanned by two of the most famous bridges in the city: The Accademia and the Rialto.

Arguably the most famous however is the Bridge of Sighs, this small white covered bridge links the Doges Palace (just on the edge of St Marks Square) to the prison. If you visit the palaces your entry fee also covers walking across the famed bridge.

Busy and crowed during summer days it’s best to get off the beaten tract and explore the narrow alleyways that make up the streets in this maze of canals and bridges.