With age, comes wisdom. With travel, comes understanding.

~ Sandra Lake

The most ancient findings in and around the Venetian lagoon date back to the period between the 10th and the 7th cent. BC. According to the tradition, Venice was founded in 421 AD, which is the date of the first settlement on the islands of Rivo Alto (Rialto), from which the city expanded in the surrounding islands until it became today’s Venice.

The 19th century was characterized by the insurrections for independence (Risorgimento) in Venice, as well as in the rest of Italy, until the plebiscite of 1866, through which Venice became offcially part of the Regno d’Italia (Kingdom of Italy).

The Venetian lagoon is one of the biggest wetlands in Europe, with a 550 km2 surface, 8% of which is land. It is an extremely rich ecosystem where brackish water, fresh water, and sand meet to create an uncommon biodiversity (from mussels to flamingos).
The average depth of the lagoon is approx. 40 cm, therefore boats can go only in the canals. The tide rises and falls every 6 hours, letting many islands surface or submerging them. This phenomenon affects the historic center, too. In case of exceptional tide peaks (more than a meter above sea level), some calli (streets) or areas of the city can be submerged.

The historic center of Venice is in the middle of its lagoon. It is constituted by 118 small islands connected by 435 bridges—in stone, steel or wood—crossing 176 canals. It is connected to the mainland (Mestre and Marghera) through the Ponte della Libertà, a bridge almost 4 km long.