VENICE

Venice is considered among the most beautiful and best preserved cities in the world, unique in the fact that it is the only city in the world built on water. The city has earned the name of La Serenissima, the most serene, as throughout the city’s remarkably stable history Venice favoured neutrality and peace when possible. Today the city’s peaceful atmosphere is due to the complete absence of cars; boats provide the only means of transport along a system of over one hundred and fifty canals. For those who prefer to explore the city on foot, more than 430 bridges connect the canals and streets or calle together.

Central Venice is divided into six sestieri, or administrative districts, three on each side of the Grand Canal. On the northern side is Cannaregio, to the east Castello and in the centre the San Marco sestiere, boasting the beautiful Piazza San Marco. Santa Croce, San Polo and Dorsoduro are on the southern side of the bank. San Giorgio Maggiore (the conference venue), Giudecca and Lido are separate islands, as are Torcello, Murano (where glass is produced), and Burano (where lace is historically made). There are over 100 islands in the lagoon, with an ever declining population of 120,000. Tourists swell this number to around 25 million each year.

HOW TO GET THERE

By car
The Ponte della Libertà bridge connects Venice to the mainland and ends at Piazzale Roma, the only part of the city where cars can enter. There are several indoor and outdoor car parks in Piazzale Roma that vary in the parking fees asked: find the fees they apply and choose one that is most convenient for you. You can also park at the Tronchetto, which you reach by turning right immediately at the end of the Ponte della Libertà bridge, just before you get to Piazzale Roma. At the Tronchetto there are some indoor and outdoor car parks. You can get to the city center easily from both these points by vaporetto (the Venice water buses), water taxi or on foot.

By plane
You can get to the city from the “Marco Polo” airport in various ways: by water taxi, by the Alilaguna motor boat or using the “Venezia Air Terminal” bus.

By train
If you come to Venice by train, you will arrive at the Santa Lucia Railway Station, a large building located at the beginning of the Grand Canal in the Santa Croce area of the city. It is easy to reach the city center on foot walking down the Strada Nuova or by taking the water bus from one of the jetties that are opposite the station.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Official language: Italian

Currency: Euros

Banks: Most banks have an exchange counter and are open from 8.30--16:00, Monday to Friday. Some hotels will also exchange money (at rates generally higher than banks).

International dialing codes: +39