Venice (1 of 3)
Venice defies description. Many have tried, from Goethe to Brodsky, but it has to be seen, felt and wandered through to be believed, and even then you may have trouble thinking it real. Yet no theme-park creator could ever have come up with this result of 1400 years of extraordinary history. Elusive, floating, enigmatic, Venice rides in a misty middle distance of muted colours and sounds, a dreamlike place that defies definition and beggars description.
Seen in the early rose light of dawn, the tranquil rhomboid of Piazza San Marco seems like an impossible dream. At the heart of Venice, which in turn lies at the core of one of Italy's most powerful regions, the square with its basilica, ducal palace and soaring bell tower, is an unforgettable sight. Countless lanes and canals weave around the world's most unique medieval city, floating on a lagoon.
Still, walking around the city today, it is difficult to feel a sense of impending doom. The timelessness of the place, the uniqueness of the city on water that has survived more dramatic threats in centuries past, lend it an air of quiet self-assuredness. The essence of Venice is intact and its spirit indomitable.
