b'Venice by Numbersvenice There are 118 islands, 177 canals and 450 bridges in Venice with 170 ancient buildings lining its main waterway, that unforgettable GrandCanal.Thiscolourfulandancient Venice is a city which is grand andcityquiteliterallyfloatsonthewater. mysterious, steeped in history. Criss-crossedbydozensanddozensof waterways, it is also a place that can possi-bly best be admired from the water.For cruise passengers, sailing into or out of LaSerenissima,theancientnamefor Venice, and through the gorgeous Lagoon of Venice is an awe inspiring experience. As you would expect, the cruise terminals and piers are located outside of the historic centre so you will need transport to get to the heart of everything. Public transportation on the water is possibly the best option and it is not terribly difficult to get to the top spots like the San Marcos Piazza by water bus.The WaterwaysPerhapsoneofthemostwell-known thingsaboutVeniceisthewaterway system. Back in the Middle Ages, the soils aroundthelittleislandswhichmakeup Venice were dredged, and from there that is where the canals came into formation. Those canals are still famously used today as a means of everyday transport. Which leads us on to Gondolas. A trip to Venice from would probably not be complete without taking a ride on a gondola. They have been amainmeansoftransportationaround 699 Venice for centuriesthey have had to be! Though gondola rides can be expensive, they are definitely something you should doifyouhavegotthechanceorthe moneyit will be something to say you have done at leastand especially if you are going with your better half.56 CRUISENATION SUMMER SUN 2019'